Ugandans in the Diaspora International Inc.  (UDII) has taken steps that will guarantee hot Uganda style political battles in Washington DC come September. The organization, which was created by UNAA members who supported Capt. Frank Musisi during the last UNAA elections, has announced that they will organize their own Ugandan convention in Washington DC, on September 3–5, 2010. This puts them in direct competition with the NRM sponsored UNAA convention a few miles away. Buganda Post has received a few emails from USA based readers with the UDII convention announcement. Another Ugandan conference on the same weekend is organized by UADA in Boston (see “Competition Between UNAA and UADA Heats Up, Ssenkumba Accused of Hiding In Bu”). UADA was formed by another UNAA election loser, and NRM man Flex Kabuye. However, it was later taken over by a then well financed supporter of Capt. Frank Musisi, Mr. William Senkumba fof Los Angeles. In another twist, Mr.Senkumba hurriedly left California for Bu weeks ago leaving most decision making in the hands of Nixon Andama, Ruth Kobusingye and Alan Rwabogo.

In addition to the above Ugandan convetions, the Baganda also have Ttabamiruka ’10, a conference which is organized and sponsored by Ggwangamujje NY/NJ. Based on the information from www.ttabamiruka.com, the Baganda conference is focused on Buganda and Baganda issues.

As of early February, the principals in UDII were Messrs James Kabonge, Michael Muganga, Kawunde Miti, Fred Kambugu and Dennis Nnyondo, all Baganda Boston (see “UDII Members Respond To Baganda UN Demonstration Story”). The official UDII site, www.ugandansinthediaspora.org does not provide any information on the current leadership or membership of the organization.

The UDII conference announcement is reproduced below without editing.

Ugandans in the Diaspora International Inc. (UDII)

Washington D. C. Labor Day Weekend Conference

Ugandans in the Diaspora International Inc. is organizing a conference on Labor Day weekend – September 3rd – 5th, 2010 at the Westin Washington National Harbor Hotel, in Washington, D.C.

The theme is “The Urgent Need to Effect Political Change in Uganda”

Key topics that will be discussed at the conference include:

1. The current political situation in Uganda in light of the upcoming elections

2. The abuse of the electoral system, and criminalization of the political system

3. Human right abuses

4. The relationship between the Ugandan and the American Governments

5. The massive corruption and misuse of U.S. and other foreign aid to Uganda

The US government has been one of the biggest supporters of the Uganda regime for over 20 years. Without this critical support, the regime would not have survived for the two decades that it has been in power. However, there are now welcome signs that this unconditional support is far from being a permanent fixture. These signs include recent public pronouncements by the US government on democratic governance in Uganda.

Per announcements on Ugandan internet discussion groups, the Uganda government is preparing a massive lobbying effort in Washington, D. C., during and following the UNAA Convention, largely in response to actions taken by the current U.S. Administration, and Congress. The Uganda Government is sending a big delegation to the UNAA Convention which will stay behind after the event to continue its lobbying efforts, at Uganda taxpayer expense, especially with regards to next year’s elections in Uganda. A demonstration against this extravagancy is planned to take place during the conference in Washington, D.C.

It is therefore incumbent on the Ugandans in the United States to inform, educate and prepare the Washington DC establishment about the true nature of the situation in Uganda. This conference is part of this effort. The conference will bring together experts from various organizations, both private and public to discuss the Uganda political situation in detail. UDII will make arrangements for various opposition members attending the Convention to meet with key people in Washington DC to explore how the U.S. government can strengthen the opposition in Uganda in order to foster true democracy in Uganda.

A conference program will be forthcoming. If you plan to attend, please reserve a room at the Westin Washington National Harbor Hotel, phone number, 1-888-627-8104 http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/UGI03A

In preparation for the Conference, please read NRM’s original Ten-Point Program, available on several websites.

If you want to be part of this effort or need further information, please contact us at info@ugandansinthediaspora.org

A 4 day investigation by Buganda Post reveals that Uganda dirty politics has spilled over into the USA as both NRM and opposition political operatives joined to send out a fake email message attacking Nnabagereka Sylvia Nnagginda. The fake and obscene letter, which Buganda Post cannot publish out of respect for Nnabagereka and Kabaka, was allegedly sent by a woman called Pross Musoke and has the following header.

From: Proscovia Musoke [mailto:prossmusoke@yahoo.com]

Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 5:47 PM

To: joemagandazi@hotmail.com; mbrumusoke@aol.com; jmayanja@townisp.com; James_ssemakula@yahoo.com; Makenke@gmail.com; jkabonge@aol.com; maleuganda@yahoo.com; kssemoge@yahoo.com; pkibuule@yahoo.com; mungwana2@yahoo.com; musanap@yahoo.com; lam5jc@aol.com; drekintu@gmail.com; tlwebuga@yahoo.com; mulongo2003@yahoo.com.au; awola19@yahoo.com; fkalema-musoke@msn.com; kiggwesam@yahoo.com; skiggwe@atlantaga.gov; lugemwafn@yahoo.com; kibuka@federo.org; Lssebweze@yahoo.co.uk; lugira@bc.edu; WILTEC10@aol.com; rehemass@googlemail.com; mulindwa@look.ca; najjuma@HOTMAIL.COM; rkiwaks@yahoo.com; yyakobo@rocketmail.com; dramatovu@yahoo.com; ronnie.mayanja@gmail.com; mpangae@googlemail.com; musoke_75@yahoo.com; acham ester

Subject: Nnaabagereka’s a traitor

The email accuses Nnabagereka Nagginda of, among other things, disrespecting Baganda by planning to attend the NRM sponsored UNAA convention in September 2010 and attempting to become the “Nnabagereka of Uganda”. The UNAA convention is funded by the Ugandan NRM government and it happens on the same day as the Baganda International conference, Ttabamiruka ’10. Kabaka Mutebi is expected to grace Ttabamiruka ’10 but the UNAA website also states that the Nnabagereka intends go and attend the UNAA convention in Washington DC. Many Baganda loyalists are very angry and have spoken very strongly against the Nnabagereka’s plans but not to the extent of calling her obscene names.

After the investigation by Buganda Post technical volunteers, we can report that the email was created by a team that includes supporters of NRM, FDC, DP and UNAA wishing to discredit nationalist Baganda opposed to Nnabagereka going to UNAA. A source involved in Ugandan opposition politics in the USA informed us that the letter to attack Nnabagereka was discussed and agreed on as a way to stop Kabaka from coming to the USA in September and strengthening Baganda loyalists.

Our source said: “Many Baganda opportunists want to say ‘Woligwa wendigwa’ but see Kabaka and Mengo as an obstacle in the way of their goal to get big posts in an FDC, UPC, DP or NRM government. The email attacking Nnabagereka is an old NRM trick to make pro-Buganda voices like Ekiba Kibe Radio, Buganda Post, Ababaka Radio and others look like they did it. By the way, it is the same trick Museveni used in Luweero, impersonating Obote’s army to kill Baganda. Even here, these people don’t care what happens to the Nnabagereka’s image so long as they can stop Kabaka from coming to New Jersey.”

It is unusual among Baganda,even in the diaspora, to celebrate and have a cake in memory of death and suffering such as at the May Buganda Day of occupation.  The leaders of Ggwanga Mujje Washington DC and the Kabaka’s representative in the area went ahead and did it anyway tighter with a big fashion show and disco (see”Kabaka’s Representative Turns Buganda Day Into NRM Party, Ekiba Kibe”). This upset quite a few people, including one long-term NRM woman, who wrote to Buganda Post to alert us about NRM operation in the diaspora.

Our source told us she was especially upset that Kabaka’s representative approved the removal of the Kabaka title and lion from the Buganda cake, not to upset Museveni. She said: “These people intentionally removed the lion, which is the symbol of the Kabaka, off the cake. Even worse, they changed the writing on the cake to be ‘Awangaale Nnyaffe Buganda’. This is not by accident. The Omulangira approved replacing ‘Kabaka’ with ‘Buganda’ even though it reads funny because Buganda is not a person. It is all part of a plan that the NRM’s diaspora team is playing out to make the Kabaka a non-issue. I don’t know what to do but as a Muganda I am having a lot of conflict.”

We can report that a diaspora based team of NRMs are working in a lose think-tank that brainstorms about how to help president Museveni weaken all Baganda organizations overseas. A highly reliable source inside NRM USA has told us that: “In 2008 president Museveni realized that the cadres in New York, Washington DC, London and Toronto are much better equipped than Kampala NRMs to plan and execute anti-Buganda actions in the diaspora. With advice from the likes of Abdul Kimbugwe and others (names omitted to protect our sources), the NRM started investing cash in Boston, Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles to buy Baganda youths in the NRM. They bribe the leaders with cash or government contracts, give them general guides, and allow them to operate independently.”

“One important target is to make Baganda youth lose interest in the Kabaka institution and see Kabaka Mutebi as politically ambitious. For example, one propaganda story that is supposed to be planted in Washington DC and Los Angeles claims that Kabaka Mutebi wants to replace Museveni and become president as his late father was. The Washington DC chapter of Ggwanga Mujje is now considered key to the NRM plans because the leadership are willing to work closely with the ambassador and other NRMs.”

Ttabamiruka ’10, the premier Baganda conference in the diaspora, shall take place on September 3-6, 2010 in the township of East Brunswick, New Jersey. We have been informed by a reliable source in Mmengo Bulange that the Lion of Buganda, Ssabasajja Kabaka Mutebi II is expected to grace Ttabamiruka ’10 and the organizers are in discussions with Mmengo. According to the conference website www.tabamiruka.com, the theme of the conference is “Freedom is Not Free!”.   You can download the conference card and poster from the conference website by clicking here on Card and Poster respectively. You can also listen to Ttabamiruka advertisements the May 28, 2010 Ekiba Kibe program by clicking on Ekiba_Kibe28May10B.

The Ttabamiruka conference which is sponsored  by Ggwangamujje NY/NJ, is the only major Baganda  conference that is fully independent of the NRM influence. This will be the 3rd Ttabamiruka conference sponsored by Ggwangamujje NY/NJ since 2007 and the first one since the Kayunga massacres and the burning of Kasubi Tombs.  Kabaka Mutebi, the then Katikkiro Ssendaula, Omutaka Alan Nakirembeka and officials from Buganda Government and the Lukiiko attended Ttabamiruka ‘07. Ttabamiruka ’08 was boycotted by the Buganda Government under Katikkiro Walusimbi. The $195 registration and $85 hotel room at high class Hilton Hotels make Ttabamiruka ‘10 the most affordable so far.

In the meantime, the battle between UADA and UNAA, which are organizing competing conferences for Ugandans on September 36, 2010 continues to offer colourful developments.  More information is coming out linkimg UADA president,  Mr. Ssenkumba, to convicts Eric Mukasa and Julius Kabukuru (see “Competition Between UNAA and UADA Heats Up, Ssenkumba Accused of Hiding In Bu”). We now can report that Mr. Ssenkumba was an associate of the two criminals in the tax preparation and other businesses before they went to prison. We can also report that Mr. Ssenkumba is well known both to certain Buganda government officials and members of Museveni’s state house as a rich man.  Certain officials in the two institutions are known to be doing or trying to do deals with Mr. Ssenkumba.

But it is not only the UADA main financial and president who is accused of serious problems. UNAA is also haveing a tough time after learning that Nnabagereka Sylvia Nnaginda would be betraying the Kabaka and people of Buganda if she attended NRM financed UNAA Washington. Their reaction has been to print even more materials claiming that the Nnabagereka will be there.

Ggwanga Mujje DC has released a press statement announcing ceremonies to commemorate the beginning of the armed occupation of Buganda by the Uganda Government. Notably, some of the top leaders of Ggwangamujje Washington DC, especially Fred Kalema-Musoke and Michael Kimbugwe-Kalema have also been pushing hard for the Nnabagereka to attend the NRM sponsored UNAA 2010 conference. Kalema-Musoke also serves as the Kabaka’s representative in Mid-Eastern USA.

The press statement is reproduced in full below:

The Baganda Community, Friends and Supporters of Buganda Kingdom,

You are cordially invited to Buganda Day Banquet and Picnic.  Please review flyer (attached) and information below for details.

Subject: Buganda Day 2010 and Picnic and Fair Updates

Dear friends, please find attached the information regarding Buganda Day 2010 as well as Buganda Fair/Picnic.

In addition to the information in the flyer, I wish to let you know that:

- We have the latest adult’s and children’s Kanzus (traditional Ganda tunics) on sale. Call 240-418-5480.

- Note that the Picnic/Fair (Saturday May 29th) is the day before Buganda Day (Sunday May 30th)

- Parents, you may want to bring bathing suits and a change of clothing for your young ones.

- Be ready to have fun fundraising for the restoration of the fallen Kasubi Tombs. If you thought the last fundraiser was fun, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

- We will have a number of rare items on sale at the picnic and on Buganda Day (t-shirts, Ugandan dry food items, crafts, etc.).

- Feel free to change into your favorite dance outfit for the dance part of the banquet on Sunday.

- Be sure to catch the red-carpet event at 6.00pm on Buganda Day.

Ideas of what you can bring to the picnic (Saturday):

1) Burgers and buns

2) Hot dogs and buns

3) Chicken (grill ready)

4) Tossed Salad

5) Potato Salad

6) Pasta Salad

7) Veggie Plata

8) Fruit Salad

9) Water melon

10) Cookies

11) Corn (cooked)

12) Potato Chips

13) Surprise us!

Drinks:

1) Sodas -

2) Beer – 5 cases

3) Wine -

4) Water

5) Punch

6) Surprise us!

Thank you for your continued support.

Awangaale Ssaabasajja!!

Flavia Magoba

Buganda Day Coordinator

Please visit us at www.ggwangamujjedc.org

According to a press release issued by the Uganda Democratic Federal Union (UDFU), the organization will host a summit on human rights on May 1, 2010. UDFU is led by Mr. Remigius Kintu, a long Washington DC Muganda resident. At least two times this year Mr. Kintu attended and spoke very prominently at the Boston Buganda emergency meetings hosted by Ggwanga Mujje Boston. For about  4 or 5 weeks Ekiba Kibe program on Free Buganda Radio has been advertising that Ggwanga Mujje Boston will host a Buganda liberation conference on May 1, 2010 (see “Ggwanga Mujje Boston To Hold Buganda Emergency Conference On May 1st”).

The decision by Mr. Kintu’s group to announce a competing conference on the same day as the Boston Baganda meeting, so late in the game, may not go well with the Boston group led by Mr. John Mayanja.

Mr. Remigius Kintu describes himself on the Linked In network as the owner of  Blue Nile Trading Corp. and International Trade and a development consultant. Among the other speakers at the UDFU summit is Dr. Sulayman S. Nyang  professor and chairman of the African Studies Department at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Nyang is a Gambian who previously worked as an advisor to the NRM government. Also among the speakers is Mr. Yoga Adhola, a UPC activist and former editor of Milton Obote’s The People newspaper. When he writes to Internet discussion groups, Mr. Adhola usually finishes with: “Mr. Adhola belongs to the UPC’s conservative wing of leftist purists and was editor of the party’s newspaper, The People, during Obote II”. Milton Obote is the former Uganda president who overthrew the Uganda constitution in 1966, exiled Ssekabaka Edward Muteesa II, and is blamed for poisoning the former Kabaka.

The UDFU press conference is reproduced in full below:

Columbia, MD, April 29, 2010 – Urgent Conference on Uganda: Saturday, May 1, Washington, DC

The Uganda Democratic Federal Union (UDFU), led by Remigius Kintu, will host a summit on human rights, “Urgent Conference on Uganda,” Saturday, May 1, in Washington, D.C. Presenters will address President Yoweri Museveni’s eradication of open elections, his massacre of all Ugandans who oppose him, and the conflict in U.S. policy which simultaneously denounces and supports his regime.

 “UDFU’s open forum will feature defenders of political freedom from all over the world,” said Kintu. “Speakers and attendees will develop strategies to expose and redirect the Obama administration’s support of Uganda’s oppressive government.” Saturday’s program will be held at the University Graduate School, 1325 D Street, S.E., Washington, D.C., from 1:00 to 7:00 pm.

 The UDFU believes Uganda can be democratically governed in the future once Museveni has been ousted. “We hope to establish a more democratic regime as early as 2011,” said speaker Deo Kawunde-Miti. “We will bring the best players together to devise ways of running upcoming campaigns, utilizing new social media in the villages to circumvent Museveni’s blockade of conventional news media, and contest every elected official from East to West.”

 The conference will also address the Obama Administration’s ongoing support of Museveni despite the dictator’s abysmal human rights record and authoritarian rule that stand in opposition to President Obama’s and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton’s stated foreign policy objectives.

 The opposition to Museveni contends the United State’s support of democracy in Africa is tempered by policy considerations that elevate U.S. strategic interests in the resource-rich African great lakes region over traditional American values. The United States State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, and other federal agencies use Uganda as a central stage for operations throughout the African great lakes region. Museveni has curried favor with US administrations by assisting in the war against terrorism and by contributing 3,000 Ugandan soldiers to the peacekeeping efforts in Somalia.

 Uganda is the latest example of United State’s support of dictatorial regimes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America – a policy that extends back to Guatemala in the 1950s, Chile under General Pinochet in the 1970s, and Saddam Hussein in Iraq in the 1980s and 1990s.

Museveni first seized power in Uganda in 1986.  He continued to rule in the 1990s through sham elections. In 2001, he had the term limit provision of the Ugandan constitution eliminated so that he could, in effect, be “President for life.”

The urgency of this conference is underscored by Museveni’s escalating human rights violations. In April, Museveni’s security officers shot and killed in cold blood 20 Ugandan students engaged in a nonviolent demonstration against Museveni in Kampala.

“The 24 years of Museveni and his NRM* dictatorship; its effect on Uganda and the great Lakes region” by Mr. Yoga Adhola, political activist and former editor of The People Newspaper. (*Museveni’s National Resistance Movement)

 “Non-violence through Economic Boycott and Embargo” by Dr. John DiJoseph Ph. D., Professor of Non-Violence Studies, Loyola Graduate University, Columbia, MD.

 “The Discovery of abundant oil and gold in Uganda. Is it a blessing or a curse?” by Mr. E. Leopold Edwards, founding member of TransAfrica Forum; Chairman, National Coalition on Caribbean Affairs Inc., Silver Spring, MD.

 “Federal Governance in Uganda” by Mr. Remigius Kintu, Chairman, UDFU, and author, Africa, My Beloved: A Liberation Plan for a Free & Sovereign Continent, American Heritage Publishers.

“Uganda After Museveni and his NRM Regime” by Mr. Deo Kawunde-Miti, Educator; Graduate of Makerere University, political Activist with Uganda Young Democrats.

 Closing Remarks by Remigius Kintu will be followed by a question and answer period and discussions. There is a $20 tax-deducted donation suggested. Refreshments will be served.

According to an email which was forwarded to info@bugandapost.com by a Boston resident, UNAA is swimming in debt. We have independently confirmed that new UNAA president, Mr. Moses Wilson did send the SOS email telling the organization’s current and past leaders that they were over $50,000 in debt.

Based on Mr. Wilson’s email, it appears like the future of UNAA Washington DC in September 2009 is questionable. He specifically mentions that he sees problems with paying certain deposits in time.

Mr. Wilson’s email is reproduced I full below:

From: WILTEC10@aol.com
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:20:55 EST

Subject: Urgent appeal for help with fund raising

Members of UNAA Boards of Directors 2007-2009 and 2009-2011,

It is unusual for the current UNAA President to jointly address both the current and immediately past UNAA Boards of Directors, but circumstances make this necessary.

The current UNAA BOD inherited an outstanding debt of over $50,000 (outstanding debt to the Chicago Marriott hotel, registration refunds, etc.)and a severely depleted bank account. It is encouraging to note that several members of the immediately past UNAA BOD are working with the Marriott to identify and eliminate unauthorized charges or, in some case, duplicated charges on the bill. However, the reality is that the current BOD will still be left with a an outstanding debt in excess of $45,000.

Last week, the Chicago Marriott issued a notice demanding immediate payment of their portion of this debt but the simple fact is that UNAA does not have the resources to cover it. We have promised the Marriott a payment of $10,000 this week while we try to negotiate a scheduled payment plan.

In addition to this debt, the current BOD also needs to secure funds to pay for deposits and other ancillary expenses associated with next year’s convention in Washington DC. Most urgently, an $8,000 deposit for the boat cruise is due within the next 7 days. Just so you all understand the urgency in this respect, of the 3 possible boats that could have accommodated our needs (minimum 300 passengers leaving from National Harbor), two have already been contracted for on that date leaving us with just 1 alternative. If we don’t contract for this boat in the very near future, we may find ourselves without a boat big enough for us to host a boat cruise at next year’s convention.

To this end, I am appealing to every member of both the current and immediately past UNAA Boards of Directors to help with fund raising so we can meet these urgent financial obligations.

As the current UNAA President, I took the initiative to lead by example and made a personal loan of $5,000 to the organization this afternoon. However, with what limited resources we do have in our account, we still need to raise another $7,000 within the next few days.

Not since the 2001 convention has UNAA faced financial challenges such as it is facing now. Back then, several members of the outgoing BOD loaned the organization funds to cover the outstanding debt and several members of the incoming BOD loaned the organization funds to make the initial payments necessary to host the subsequent convention in Las Vegas. The need today is equally urgent and I am appealing to you for help.

For those of you who have asked to see the UNAA financial records for the past few years so as to better understand how the organization got to this state, I am happy to report that the UNAA Treasurer will be releasing the organization’s 2008 statements in the next few days and the 2009 (as of September 30th) soon thereafter.

Sincerely,

Moses R. Wilson
President (2009-2011)
Ugandan North American Association

The organizers of the Buganda Emergency Meeting, which took place on October 17, 2009, in Boston USA, have published the resolutions from the event (see “Muliika And Frank Musisi To Headline Boston Buganda Emergency Conference“).  We first received a copy of the resolutions at around 4:00 PM Boston time but it took us until 7:30 PM to verify that it was genuine. That is when a highly reliable source confirmed to us that the document was being circulated on the top Baganda discussion lists by Mr. James Semakula, one of the organizers.

Buganda post is preparing a story, together with in depth analysis, on the Buganda Emergency Meeting to be published over the weekend.

The resolution document is reproduced in its entirety below:

Resolutions of the Buganda Emergency Meeting in Boston on October 17, 2009‏

Preamble:-

Aware that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICFSCR), guarantee the right to self determination of all people;

Convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the NRM government has violated fundamental human rights;

Saddened by the gross, unjust and inefficient governance inflicted on the people of Uganda by the NRM regime;

Realizing that Unity is essential to achieving our collective objectives;

Determined to rid Uganda of bad governance, dictatorship, and corruption;

Condemning strongly the NRM government’s continued interference in the running of independent institutions and intrusion into the running and electoral process of organizations of Ugandans in the Diaspora;

We hereby earnestly resolve as follows:-

1.    Establish structures to analyze and determine the resources needed to achieve our objectives.

2.    Advise the Kabaka not to directly negotiate with Museveni, his government, or agents of the NRM regime.

3.    Take appropriate steps to fundraise in order to finance the necessary activities to lead to change and the establishment of genuine democracy in Uganda.

4.    Pursue all legal channels that are useful in achieving our objectives including, but not limited to, international legal action.

5.    Educate the International community about the true political situation in Uganda through demonstrations on a regular basis and lobby work at the New York UN headquarters, Washington DC, and other major cities in the world.

6.    Boycott, effective immediately, all government media and other anti-Buganda entities.

7.    Intensify civic education of the people about the problems and possible solution to the problems being faced by Buganda.

8.    Reach out to other Ugandan ethnicities and groups with a view to making alliances to advance the cause of Democracy and Federalism.

9.    Expose government spies, informers, and traitors– and record their illegal activities within and outside Uganda for the purpose of future prosecution.

10.  Seek better Medical treatment for Mrs. Betty Nambooze Bakireke.

11.  Reject (unanimously) the Regional Tier as a form of governance in Uganda.

12.  Agree that Museveni and his regime must go; and resolve to establish a mechanism for free and fair elections