Nicholas Opiyo (Pronouns He/Him)

Those who would wish to understand my approach to social media wankers & hecklers would do well reading the Rev. Dr. Martin King Jr. 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail.

Highlights from the United States Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs 2026 Investment Climate Statements: Uganda -Security forces arrest opposition supporters and hold them in detention long past the constitutionally mandated limit. Reports of torture allegedly perpetrated by elements within the official security forces persist. Security services routinely use excessive force to stop peaceful protests and demonstrations. -An uncertain political environment increases risk to foreign businesses and investors. Uganda has never experienced a peaceful political transition. In the January 2026 elections, President Museveni won a seventh term with 72 percent of the vote amid reports of political violence and restrictions on democratic institutions. Speculation about the 2031 elections and the perceived absence of a succession plan adds to political uncertainty. -Endemic corruption remains a serious problem and a major obstacle to investment. While anti-corruption laws extend to family members of officials and political parties, in practice, many well-connected individuals enjoy de facto immunity for corrupt acts and are rarely prosecuted in court. state.gov/reports/2026-inves…

Former Prosecutors and Human Rights Leaders Launch The Rule of Law Project ruleoflawproject.org/news/pr… @KenRoth @BethVanSchaack kudos

Critic of Rwandan Government Found Beheaded in Uganda nytimes.com/2026/10/20/world…

My brother @KakwenzaRukira I know you like books. So this post is only about books, ok. The Book Tower in old town Prague

We know why this clear case has taken this long in the court system - the accused/alleged perpetrator was allowed to send to the bench as a justice of the court of appeal. But be that as it may, the pursuit of justice will grind on until justice is achieved. My sister @scamwesigye2 is one brave, tenacious and smart attorney. History will absolve you and your abuser will be put to shame.

Let’s make Anifa famous. Pocket whenever you see her. In solidarity with Dr Candia and all medical professionals being harassed and humiliated @TheUMAofficial

The signs of authoritarianism start early. It creeps in, incrementally, often before our eyes. In Uganda, it is disguised as accommodating or rewarding constituencies, or, in some cases, you are told these folks are good mobilizers. The result: the Prime Minister you have, an ICT Minister who can hardly explain what an algorithm is, or a Minister of Education who cannot be accused of being a stellar academic or educator. A consummate professional who finds their way into such a system, as some have done, can only survive by sacrificing competence and independent judgment for loyalty. That may be why political outfits like PLU end up with the leaders they have and do what they do (I’ll make separate observations on PLU's choice of SG and its leaders). Yet they are not short of jesters and cheerleaders. Repressive systems loathe competent, fiercely independent people.

Our friend @qataharraymond has the absolute liberty to make his own career choices, just as those criticizing him have the freedom of opinion. My alma mater, Raymond, is no doubt whip-smart and brilliant at what he does. His academic record, for what it's worth, speaks for itself - top of his lot. My invitation to this debate is for us all to be measured, factual, and objective in our expositions. Let’s not replace facts with strong opinions and raw emotion/passion. Let’s avoid loading our collective and individual frustration with the State of our (Uganda’s) governance onto Raymond and those who chose to join public service. No doubt we can ask, or even expect/demand, more from them when they serve. My only honest question is why neither @UgandaMFA nor @mopsuganda has announced this important appointment. So far, our only news of the appointment has come from two sources: @YusufSerunkuma on his podcast and @JanSadek (the @EUinUG ambassador). Even the quick fingers at @UgandaMediaCent and @GCICUganda haven't announced anything. Has someone jumped the gun on this issue? In sports parlance, jumping the gun may be a false start. I pray we are wrong here.

Extradited @MKatungi faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison if convicted ‘The indictment alleges that since at least September 2022, Katungi, Bulgarian national Peter Dimitrov Mirchev, Kenyan national Elisha Odhiambo Asumo, and Tanzanian national Subiro Osmund Mwapinga conspired to supply military-grade weaponry to Mexican drug cartels illegally, and in particular, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations. The weaponry included machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, night vision equipment, sniper rifles, anti-personnel mines, and anti-aircraft weapons.’ The defendants believed that the CJNG intended to use these weapons in furtherance of the illegal trafficking of large shipments of cocaine into the United States.’ ‘On Feb. 20, 2025, the CJNG was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Arms sales to transnational criminal organizations like the CJNG are prohibited by virtually every country.’ (see link to the @dojphofficial press statement about the case in the previous post). My Commentary (the rest is mere/direct reporting) His co-accused have already pleaded guilty to the charges, further complicating his case. It is also unclear if he has retained a US lawyer to represent him. – at Arlington, VA

Ugandan national extradited to the United States to face cocaine and firearms trafficking charges in Homeland Security Task Force makes his initial court appearance early this month. justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/uga…?