News that China has brokered rapprochement between two Middle-East Arab rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia hasn’t received much traction in the western media presumably it embarrassed them because they have spent energy driving antagonism, wars, death, and economic ruin. According to the deal, within the next two months, Iran and Saudi Arabia that broke ties in 2016 will re-establish diplomatic relations, post ambassadors and their foreign ministers meet.

The unfolding sleaze arising from 450 pre-painted iron sheets, marked “Office of the Prime Minister; Not for Sale” meant for distribution to vulnerable people in Karamoja sub-region but allegedly recovered in Namisindwa district from homes of the relatives to Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu, if proven, would be a heavy stench on government’s otherwise good efforts in Karamoja, but the sunshine is on. 

The parliamentary by-elections for Serere county, Serere district, concluded on Thursday, has, yet again shown that the collective opposition could be in the evil’s eye for a while longer, and must now find other more credible reasons to cry foul in the future. The NRM suffered due to stitch-up when at the burial of MP Patrick Okabe, NRM leaders endorsed and have indeed campaigned for his son Emmanuel Omoding who emerged winner, against NRM’s Philip Oucor.

The leaders of the misguided National Unity Platform (NUP) party so far appear to have learnt nothing useful from Kizza Besigye’s failed Reform Agenda of 2001 that morphed into Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in trying to bolster its platform through spreading disinformation and subterfuge.

The fear-mongering over an alleged China ‘spy’ balloon shot over US last Saturday could be a convenient temporary distraction from Russia-Ukrainian quagmire, meant to shape US near-future operations. As already admitted, balloons previously flew under Donald Trump and Joe Biden yet noise wasn’t made. It’s more like Iraq’s alleged WMD that never was. James Bond is back, and United States, with the most extensive, intrusive and destructive security around the world shouldn’t be wailing so loudly. What goes round comes round. 

Since Donald J Trump’s exit as US president, the Western World is tilting back to cold war  alliances, though not quite as a square peg in a round hole because after more than a century, the rogues’ gallery of imperialism is steadily declining partly due to the spread of enlightenment and rise of other countries. Imperialism can no longer loot resources from other nations and subjugate peoples as it did in the last century.

In the past few weeks the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Mathias Mpuuga has been out and about promising that this year his party, the so-called National Unity Platform (NUP) will make constitutional, legal and political reforms its raison d’être supposedly because they will usher in a peaceful transition from NRM and President Yoweri Museveni to another party and leader.  Well, it’s date the NRM should take up.

Thursday next week President Yoweri Museveni and the NRM government mark thirty-seven years since being worn-in on 29 January 1986, amidst a political euphoria as the defeated military junta led by Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa and Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) retreated into hiding and eventually exile.

Times really change to see Kizza Besigye washed out as a national politician while the movement he started in 2000, the Reform Agenda, now turned Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party blowing a faint fiddle at the national stage with no apparent direction, and support dwindling. And because FDC was built on a maze of calculated falsehoods laced with hate, inflated hope, and personal disgruntlement it’s really hard to see how it revamps.

The proverbial goose comes home to roost when 2022 closed like an annus horribilis with two unrelated political developments turning heads. First, the reported censure petition against state minister for lands (Housing) Persis Namuganza was delivered to the Speaker of Parliament for further management and General. Caleb Akandwanaho aka. Salim Saleh missive delivered to Erias Lukwago to which we return later.