Our Next Activities

Dear friends,

I would like to thank you for the part you have so far played in engaging the state to respect the rights of opposition leaders as they struggle for space to give voice to the concerns of Ugandan citizens during this time of economic hardship.  Ugandans are fed up with corruption in public office, wastage of public resources, poor economic planning and management as well as the reckless spending that have become the hallmark of the current government. 

Concerned citizens are working with opposition leaders to mobilize ordinary Ugandans towards attaining a responsive government.  So far the government's response has been to fight back with brutal force in order to silence the voices carrying this urgent and non-partisan message.  We are not deterred and will continue with our activities which rally the masses to engage government and hold it responsible for its dismal failures.  We urge every Ugandan to participate in holding government accountable.  To that end, we would like to invite you to participate in the following rallies:

Today Sat 21 Jan - Kireka (Kyaddondo East), Tues 24 Jan - Kasubi (Rubaga North), Wed 25 Jan Kitintale (Nakawa), Thur 26 Jan Kawempe, Sat 28 Jan - Kololo Independence Grounds.

All rallies start at 2:00pm.  Please bring your friends along.

The rallies are being hosted by area Members of Parliament.  Police has been notified of these rallies and we are working with them to ensure their success.  

We look forward to receiving you.


A4C

Walk 2 Work Reloaded Press Release

ACTIVISTS FOR CHANGE

AT KAMPALA, JANUARY 16TH 2012

Today, we are here to announce the launch of our latest campaign ‘Walk to Work’ Reloaded.  We started the year in much the same way as we ended it:  With more stories of public wastage and corruption set against a backdrop of economic gloom and misery.  The government announced a once percentage fall in inflation from 28% to 27% as though it were reason to celebrate, well knowing that it is pathetic to talk of any substantive change with such a high inflation rate.  Even with the shilling gaining strength against the US dollar towards the end of last year, the ordinary man on the street was unable to reap any benefits because the contradictions in the economy have overwhelmed the best minds in the central bank and Ministry of Finance.

By raising the Central Bank Interest Rate CBR) to 23%, the government was passing the effects of its failed economic policies to traders and ultimately to the person on the street who buy from the traders.  The natural consequence of the raised CBR was raising of commercial interest rates to percentages as high as 27 – 30%.  As though this was not punitive enough, the government allowed commercial banks to impose this high rate on both new and existing loans thereby exposing businesses (particularly small businesses) to capital and liquidity risks that they had not envisaged at the time of borrowing old loans.  The outcry from the trading community was inevitable and in our view it was overly considerate.  The harshness and insensitivity of this government’s economic and fiscal policies deserved an even greater, country wide response from the business community.  We applaud KACITA in their efforts to campaign for lower interest rates and will add a voice to their cause because it is ultimately the cause of the common man.

As though to add insult to injury, the Electricity Regulation Authority chose the period of the traders strike to scrap the power subsidy and hike power tariffs by an average of 45% across different users.  Uganda National Chamber of Commerce responded swiftly, noting that "These tariffs shall fall on the shoulders of the consumer so as to offset the subsidy of 396 billion that electricity regulatory authority (ERA) has been paying to the power generators and distributors, to cushion power consumers from higher tariffs." In addition to the high interest rates and day long load shedding, businesses now have to find means of paying these increased tariffs.  Yet the power tariffs do not affect only businesses but also domestic users who will pay Shs 524.5 per unit instead of the Shs 385.6 (a 36% increase), commercial users will pay 487.6 instead of 358.6, (a 36% increase) and medium industrial users will pay 458.9 instead of 333.2 (a 37% increase) while large industrial users will pay 312.8 instead of 184.8 (a 70% increase.)

As the cost of living continues to soar, wages and salaries for teachers, workers and professionals on government’s pay roll have remained stagnant.  The Chief Justice has recently joined a queue of public servants that are demanding higher salaries some of whom are threatening organized industrial action.

It is under these severe economic hardships that we are launching walk to work reloaded.  Our methods and goals have not changed.  We shall continue to use nonviolent action to draw attention to the plight of the common Ugandan.  We shall continue to speak out and amplify the voices of millions of Ugandans whose voices are stifled by an oppressive, corrupt and uncaring government.  We shall continue until your voices are heard in the highest offices of government and beyond.  The year is fresh and we are ready to meet the oppressor on the street as we carry your voices.  We ask you to join us at a series of rallies that we have lined up under walk to work reloaded.

Hon. Nabillah Sempala has graciously accepted to host us in her constituency for our first rally, which will be held this week.  Rallies will continue over the next couple of weeks at venues and times to be announced on radios.  Our final grand rally will be at Kololo Independence Grounds on 28th January, 2012.

We call on all Ugandans across the political and social spectrum to join us and participate in this program where they can express their dissatisfaction and listen to a variety of speakers with ideas on how to tackle the economic crisis.  This morning, Police surrounded our colleague, Ingrid Turinawe’s home as early as 5am to pre-empt our activities.  She was intercepted and is now being detained at Kasangati Police station.  The police Spokesperson alleges that at the weekend A4C beach bash in Entebbe, Ingrid said we would march from this press conference and ‘cause chaos.’  Nothing could be further from the truth.  We caution the police to stop being reactionary and to desist from acting on the basis of speculation.  We look forward to seeing you all.  Our rallies like all our activities are peaceful and anyone harboring ideas of violence is not invited.  We call on the police to provide us with adequate security for our peaceful rallies.

Mathias Mpuuga
National Coordinator, A4C
Activists 4 Change

Legal Representation for W2W Activists

Dear friends,

Happy New Year!  I hope you are all fine and looking forward to a year filled with promise and hope for further activism for public accountability and democratization in Uganda.  We welcome all your ideas and counseling on the way towards realizing responsible and responsive government in our beloved country.  In everything we do we emphasize peaceful solutions to our political, social and economic dilemma.

This year W2W Week activists who were arrested in October and released on bail will be appearing in courts around the country to answer to charges ranging from treason to illegal assembly.  We are calling on all lawyers who are dedicated to the cause of rule of law and human rights to respond to this need for legal representation by providing pro bono services.  We are always thankful for your generosity and sacrifices.

We are currently working with several lawyers to create a roster to guide participation in these cases.  Accordingly, I would like to request you to submit the following information via email, phone call or text message.  The email to respond to is activists4change@gmail.com and the phone number is 0753-769 302. 

Please provide the following information in your response:

1. Names of those requiring legal representation
2. The courts where they will appear and;
3. The dates for court appearances.

Please note that this information is required urgently as some activists are scheduled to appear early in the year.  Kindly pass on this information to all activists who may need it.

Much obliged,

Anne Mugisha
A4C