By Andrew M. Mwenda Given that Besigye will not retreat, what are Museveni’s options? Last week on Thursday, the battle between police and Dr Kizza Besigye turned nasty. The police used harmers and guns to smash the windows of Besigye’s car, spray volumes of teargas and pepper-spray into his face, …
Read More »The maths of the Feb. 18 elections
By Andrew Mwenda Using robust data, it is theoretically possible but realistically improbable Besigye can- not just win, but force Museveni to a second round. On February 18th, Ugandans will go to the polls to elect a new president. All the last three elections have been a two-horse race between …
Read More »Can the US afford a democratic Egypt?
By Andrew Mwenda Past experiences show that America is willing to countenance democracy only when it produces outcomes favourable to its interests. The current protests in Egypt have placed the United States in a big dilemma. America is a leading advocate of democracy around the world. Yet often times, the …
Read More »The US cannot save Afghanistan
By Andrew Mwenda Last week, I finished reading Bob Woodward’s new book, Obama’s Wars, an inside account of Obama’s approach to the war in Afghanistan. Then on Sunday night, I watched a two-hour documentary on National Geographic titled Inside Talibanistan, an interesting tale of the complexity of fighting the Taliban …
Read More »The trouble with democracy in Africa
By Andrew Mwenda Last Saturday, October 16, I was a guest on Capital Radio’s Capital Gang programme and our debate settled down to the subject of democracy in Africa ‘ specifically on Uganda and Rwanda. Like most debate on anything in Africa, the discussion did not use the facts of …
Read More »ICC and perverted justice in Africa
By Andrew Mwenda Last weekend, we celebrated 48 years of independence. Sadly, many Ugandans (and Africans generally) do not appreciate the political significance of this event largely because of the failures of post independence governments. The resultant frustration has given vent to sections of the international community, largely from the …
Read More »When reality strikes prejudice
By Andrew Mwenda The common message against President Paul Kagame of Rwanda is that he is a ‘media predator.’ The Ugandan ‘democracy’ crowd claim I cannot host a show like Andrew Mwenda Live in Rwanda. Yet the threat to the show would not be Kagame perceived intolerance. The show would …
Read More »Why Besigye is right, Otunnu wrong
By Andrew Mwenda The fallout between FDC leader, Kizza Besigye, and UPC leader Olara Otunnu, has been as dramatic as it was expected. The major sticking point in the breakup was whether to participate in the forthcoming elections. Otunnu says the opposition should insist on a free and fair election …
Read More »How Andrew Mwenda was arrested
By The Independent Team In our continuing series ‘Terror Arrests’, we report the arrest of The Independent Managing Editor, Mr Andrew Mwenda. On the morning of Saturday April 26 this year, as The Independent’s managing editor drove from his home along Golf Course Road in Kololo, two suspicious cars, one in …
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