By Our Staff Writer

The social networking site facebook is fast becoming a rich political mobilisation ground for Uganda’s top most politicians; especially the main party leaders.  Museveni, Besigye, Otunnu, Mao, Muntu and a few lesser mortals all have some sort of presence on facebook.  In the last few weeks, a hitherto unheard of organisation calling itself “The IPC Volunteers Corps” has also joined the fray.It launched what it called “a campaign for political change” in Uganda.  While the name suggests that they may be linked to the main Inter Party Cooperation [IPC] alliance in Uganda, their literature does not give much away.  It doesn’t, for instance, give any hints about the identities of the people behind it.  Nonetheless, The IPC Volunteers Corps, possibly a group of young politically charged men and women, appear to be quite aggressive in their campaign for political change in Uganda.  “Forward this message to as many Ugandans and friends of Uganda as possible. Print out, photocopy and distribute widely. Make enlarged copies and pin it up in public places. Translate in local languages and distribute. Let this be your contribution to making this message known to all”; the opening paragraph of their message reads.  Then straight after that, the messages come; quite a few of them that we shall do no more than reproduce in slightly edited form for easy reading.  They say: 

• The un-negotiable objective of Inter Party Cooperation, IPC, is to ensure that there is a genuinely free and fair election in Uganda so as to cause the inevitable regime change from the disguised NRM dictatorship to a true democracy of the people.  
• You are the IPC. You, the Ugandan who is tired of lies, “siyasa”, corruption, nepotism, arrogance, impunity, killing of innocent people, torture in torture chambers, harassment and intimidation by RDCs and DISOs.  
• You are the IPC- you the Youth and Woman and the Disabled, who have been deceived all these years that you are empowered and yet you are only exploited by the corrupt regime to keep them in power. The IPC is you.  Say No! Enough is enough. Don’t be deceived that everyone who claims to be an NRM supporter actually supports Museveni and his small clique of relatives. Even NRM supporters are tired of being taken for granted, of being hated by Ugandans for the sins of one man and his clique of accomplices.
• There won’t be an election in Uganda in 2011 unless a new and totally independent Electoral Commission is established.  All measures will be taken to ensure that no one tricks or forces you to waste your time to stand in the sun and sometimes even rain, to participate in an election that has already been rigged.  
• Should a rigged election be forced on you dear Ugandan, we shall work together wherever you are, whatever your job, whatever your political affiliation, to reject the results and to annul the election. It is your money that they are using to rig the election. It is our own money. Don’t let them get away with theft.  
• A large number of officers, men and women of the security agencies are on the side of the people and cannot be misused as mere tools to keep a corrupt and declining regime in power.  
• They are your sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and friends. The Police especially, are victims too; like us; like you. See how they are paid and the conditions in which they live. They are our allies, not our enemies. It is just a matter of time. Go easy with them. They are also suffering like anybody else and are determined to cause change together with you.  
• The International Community already knows that Museveni’s regime is in its last days and no amount of moral or financial support to it will save it/him. Those few that are attempting to prop up the regime will take all the blame for the subsequent meltdown in Uganda.
•  Museveni and his cronies will be prosecuted and must answer for killing nearly 60 unarmed innocent people during the September 11 riots in Kampala, at the Kasubi tombs, and for any human rights abuses they have committed in the past including the torture of suspects in so-called ‘safe houses’ which are actually torture chambers. Under Museveni’s own watch, seven people were shot dead at the Buganda royal tombs as he forced his way to the burnt tombs. 
• It is your individual responsibility; you the one holding this message in your hands, to morally and financially support the IPC’s struggle for democratic change. You don’t have to be a politician to know that all your money is being stolen; that your land is being grabbed; that the oil that has been discovered is the property of one man and his close family and clan members.  You don’t have to be a politician to know that it is wrong for a government to become the property of friends, relatives and in laws. 
• You don’t have to be politician to be angry that our children’s future is being killed by poor education. To know that money that was meant for AIDS, TB and Malaria was stolen and continues to be stolen as the people in charge of the state pretend to be fighting corruption. Thousands of women still die in labour on the floors of hospitals so that Museveni can buy a new aeroplane for himself and his family. 
• The jokes are over. Museveni and his relatives, friends and in laws are finished. No amount of intimidation, bribery [using the money they stole from the fraudulent sale of your own Peoples’ bank UCB, Global fund, Gavi, Temangalo, NSSF, CHOGM and other scandals] will save them. 
• Museveni is finished.  His regime is finished.  This is the year.  And he knows it.  So be careful, he is desperate.  He will do anything to survive. Be smart.  Don’t do anything that is not well planned.  Lie low as you plan day and night.  Talk quietly to your friends about these problems facing your country.  Make local plans to defeat the system that is using your money to destroy your dreams. 
• Join all democracy seeking Ugandans to reject Museveni’s Electoral Commission and demand the setting up of a new, truly independent people’s Electoral Commission.  A rigged election is a guarantee for violence.  A well organized election by a credible Electoral Commission is a promise for peace.  Choose peace.  Do your bit to agitate for a new Electoral Commission in your locality. Join others when invited to add your voice to say No!-No to the Museveni-Kiggundu Electoral Commission. Record and report all acts of intimidation by RDCs, DISOs, GISOs and other NRM functionaries. 
• You are a Ugandan. Uganda is your country. You are not a foreigner.  You are not a tenant.  You are not a hostage. You are not a second class citizen.  You are a free citizen with God given rights. Don’t allow anyone to harass you or to intimidate you.  Insist on your rights; including the right to a free and fair election organized by an independent Electoral Commission. Change has come. No one can stop it now! Be on the right side of history by playing your part. Spend some of your time.  Spend some of your little money to save your country from total disaster. ipcvolunteers.uganda@gmail.com  

Disclaimer:  The views espoused above do not represent the views of Uganda Correspondent and must NOT, in anyway, be construed as such.  We are merely messengers for liberal debate.  Editor