{UAH} UGANDAN YOUTH DECIDE ON THE NEXT STEPS.

UGANDAN YOUTH DECIDE ON THE NEXT STEPS.
Press Statement for Immediate release
24th Feb 2016

The young people of Uganda comprise the majority, at over 78% of the total population and they overwhelmingly participated in this election. The voting exercise having been completed Five days ago, as key stakeholders and majority bearers of the national burden in all its manifests, we would like to share with all Ugandans and the international community our observations, conclusions and the way forward after the elections.
The youth in Uganda, are facing a very uncertain future ranging from; having the highest unemployment rate of 83%, deteriorating quality of education, corrupt credit schemes, abject poverty; disease and the desperation that is driving us to become, gamblers, prostitutes, economic refugees. Slaves in the Middle East, Far East and other Asian countries.

All this is, as Yoweri Museveni put it in his book "WHAT IS AFRICA's PROBLEM", a consequence of, but not limited to; 30 years of poor leadership of the very author of the book who now believes Uganda is him, him is Uganda and that he doesn't see anyone else capable of leading Uganda apart from himself!
"Africa doesn't need strongmen; it needs strong institutions"
Like President Barak Obama said while on his first official trip as president of the United States to the heart of Africa;
"Development depends upon good governance".
"No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. "That is not a democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end." In Uganda

Democracy and good governance are the ingredients which have been missing in Uganda, for far too long.
The 30 years' revolutionary turned dictator who attained power by gun, rules by the gun and believes only the gun shall remove him from power legitimizes his rule and disguises dictatorship through sham elections, patronage abuse and use of state machinery to stay in power.
A rigged election in favor of the incumbent implies our sufferings is not about to end, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government has resorted to the mass arrest of the youth as a means to silence us. It is time for the young to claim their rights and lead this struggle. Uganda's future, our future is in our hands. The young have the potentials to make this country work for each and every one of us. As such we make the following Observations and conclusions

REJECTION OF FEB 18TH ELECTION RESULTS.

Having widely observed this election and actively participated in voting in search for change from a tired brutal regime to democratic and good governance, we would like to distance ourselves from the final results that were declared by Kiggundu "Independent" Electoral commission.
We reject these results in the strongest terms possible as they are not a true reflection of the will and wish of Ugandan people while they cast their votes on the 18th Feb 2016. We saw the deliberate delay of polling materials, ballot boxes stuffed with pre-ticked ballot papers in favor of the incumbent and kidnap of tallying material and FDC party leaders from the FDC Party headquarters, we will not allude to what happened any further as its clear to all Ugandans now.
The entire electoral process became a sham; it was rigged using intimidation of voters, imprisonment of opponents, sabotage of rallies, late delivery of election materials, delayed opening of election centers, vote falsification at undisclosed tally centers, and bribery, among other malpractices.
The European Union and Commonwealth preliminary reports are already out, were aired on 20th February 2016 and are available on the YouTube channel for you to see and confirm our concerns as Ugandans who hold our future so dearly.

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Badru Kiggundu intentionally announced the false results in favor of the incumbent, Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as the 'winner' of the election, on the 20th February 2016. This has been challenged by the main opposition candidate Col DR Kizza Besigye (rtd), the FDC party and the majority of Ugandans! They could have gone to demonstrate their protest but in Uganda, demonstrations are curtailed and regarded uncivil by the already partisan Uganda Police under the patronage of the Public Order Management Act.

CONTINUED ARRESTS OF FDC PARTY LEADERS.
We have observed the Uganda Police and Military police are using insurmountable force in illegally arresting and detaining opposition party leaders, FDC party staffs, Power 10 volunteers, FDC party supporters and pressing no charges against them. We are aware that these are deliberate steps to curtail their freedoms of assembly, expression aimed at physically and illegally blocking all their efforts to seek court redress within the 10 working days required by law to contest this election.

We are calling upon all Ugandans, pro-democratic forces, and human rights activists to reject these actions with all constitutional means possible. We will not continue to look on as you illegally arrest FDC party leaders and members. It's our constitutional right to stand against all illegalities and inhuman treatment. This should stop immediately and if you don't stop we will take all measures to stop this illegality and abuse of human freedoms and inherent rights .

BESIEGING OF KIZZA BESIGYE PREMISES.
We would like in the strongest terms possible condemn the continued persecution, house detention, detention without trial of Presidential candidate Kizza Besigye. There is heavy deployment around his house and he can hardly make a step outside his door. This is unacceptable and is very unprecedented in our country. He is not only a Ugandan but a human rights activists as well as a presidential candidate. Col. KIzza Besigye deserves to enjoy his constitutional and inherent right to a dignifying treatment by the state. As key stakeholders in this country, we are asking the state not to taste our patience. You have done many unconstitutional things but we will not let you curtail the rights of RTD. Col DR. Kizza Besigye and illegal besieging of FDC party Headquarters

In the same spirit, we would like to condemn the Uganda police for the continued besieging of a legally registered political party FDC headquarters. The breaking of doors and vandalisation of FDC property by Uganda police.

APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
To the international community and observers. Will you look on as Uganda's constitutional order is abused and Ugandans are raped of their dignity to vote for the leaders they want?
We commend you for raising your concerns about the flawed electoral process but actions speak louder than words. We are calling upon you to diligently continue observing the process and remain key watchdogs in this process but also take swift and drastic action that will restore the freedom of assembly, association and movement of Col Dr Kizza Besigye, members of his campaign task force the P10 vote protection volunteers and all the FDC party activists, so that a petition can be finalized and launched in the required time frame for the high court to handle in an effort to seek redress. You have a lot at your disposal including but not limited to imposing targeted sanctions on the regime if they don't comply.


UGANDA'S CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE.

We believe in part that the supreme law of the land has been abrogated in accordance with chapter one of the 1995 constitution that states that:
1. The sovereignty of the people.
(1) All power belongs to the people who shall exercise their sovereignty in accordance with this Constitution.
(2) Without limiting the effect of clause (1) of this article, all authority in the State emanates from the people of Uganda; and the people shall be governed through their will and consent.

We believe that the current situation and the announcement of false results infringe on the will and consent of Ugandans. Yet the constitution further says that;

(4) The people shall express their will and consent on who shall govern them and how they should be governed, through regular, free and fair elections of their representatives or through a referendum.
We have all reasons and overwhelming evidence that is blatantly clear to all Ugandan and all election observers that the just concluded presidential elections were not free or fair and thus fell short of this constitutional mandate.

As such we have a constitutional duty enshrined in our constitution and these will be but our next steps until such a moment as instructed by this constitution and we quote;

3. Defense of the Constitution.
(4) All citizens of Uganda shall have the right and duty at all times—
(a) to defend this Constitution and, in particular, to resist any person or group of persons seeking to overthrow the established constitutional order; and
(b) to do all in their power to restore this Constitution after it has been suspended, overthrown, abrogated or amended contrary to its provisions.
(5) Any person or group of persons who, as required by clause (4) of
this article, resists the suspension, overthrow, abrogation or amendment of
this Constitution commits no offense.

1. We demand that the Police with immediate effect STOP the continued trespass and vacate the premises of Kizza Besigye . Short of this we will mobilize all democracy loving Ugandans and His supporters for a peaceful demonstration at his home in our usual large numbers.
2. We demand that the Police and the State respect Col Dr. Kizza Besigye's freedom of movement, assembly, association and demonstration. It's his right

3. We demand that the Uganda Police leaves FDC headquarters in peace with immediate effect to allow normal FDC political business to take course.

4. We demand that the police refrains its self from and in fact STOPS the continued arrest and detention of Col.Kizza Besigye from his home and illegally keeping him in Police cells. We are prepared to challenge this if it does not stop with immediate effect.

5. The EC must forthwith avail comprehensive lists of all polling stations tallied including those that had been omitted from the final tally for comprehensive analysis.

6. We are calling upon the International community to constitute an independent audit to establish the facts and we demand the Electoral commission and the State to comply accordingly if and when such an audit is underway for the good of our country.

From now further business is not going to be as usual, as citizens and stake holders of this country, we are now more than ready to assertively control our destinies in order to claim our future. There is no other person who will do it for us. That time is has come and that moment is now.

"For God and My country"
Thank you
Youth Activists

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H.OGWAPITI
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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that  we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic  and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt

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