ISSUE N0.24 - HRCU WEEKLY UPDATES ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES (14TH -20TH SEPTEMBER 2020)
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN UGANDA DURING THE PREVALENCE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Week of 14th – 20th September 2020
Issue No. 24
INTRODUCTION
The working environment of human rights defenders remains still remains very dynamic and calls for enhancement of effort towards the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.
At the end of the week (20th September 2020), more shocking news kicked in when the Makerere University main building known as the "Ivory Tower", caught fire overnight leaving its distinctive white walls with blue-shuttered windows blackened.
Later that day, the 20th address to the nation on the situation of COVID-19 in Uganda was made by the President, H.E Yoweri Museveni in which he made further adjustments to the lockdown restrictions including the opening of schools for the finalists' classes of P.7, S.4, S.6, Tertiary Colleges Universities on 15th October 2020; the opening of the international airport and land borders for tourists coming in and going out, provided they tested negative 72 hours before arrival in Uganda and provided the tour operators ensure that the tourists do not mix with Ugandans; restrictions on movements on border districts were also lifted.
Curfew time from 9:00p.m to 6:00a.m was maintained but for the boda-bodas, their movements must always end 6p.m and; places of worship were opened with the following precaution with the condition that individual prayers or confessions with priests or counseling with the necessary SOPs; prayers and fellowships numbers would not exceed 70 and by observing all the other SOPs; night and trans-night prayers were prohibited; the regular large gatherings of prayers and preaching on Sundays and Fridays would be considered at a later stage, depending on how the disease would be evolving; and Sunday school classes for children remain prohibited.
Additionally, open-air sports activities were re-opened provided there are no spectators and the players are tested for Covid-19, 72 hours before participating in the games. Sportsmen and women were advised not to wear masks when engaging in strenuous exercises.
https://observer.ug/news/headlines/66652-full-speech-museveni-reopens-airport-schools-for-candidates
LATEST UPDATES ON COVID-19 IN UGANDA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
By 20th September 2020, Uganda had registered 270 new cases from the test done on the 19th of September 2020 leading to a total of 6,287 COVID-19 infections. 2,616 recoveries and 63 deaths were registered.
Globally, 30,055,710 COVID-19 cases were registered and 943,433 deaths confirmed on 18th September 2020.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND OTHER EMERGING ISSUES THAT DEVELOPED IN THE COURSE OF THE WEEK
INTIMIDATION OF HRDS BY SECURITY AGENCIES
Human Rights Defenders in Uganda are concerned that they are under attack after a number of their members were reportedly arrested and threatened by security agencies. While addressing the media on Tuesday 15th September 2020, the National Coalition of Human Rights defenders Uganda cited a number of their members whose rights had been abused.
Mr. Robert Kirenga, the ED NCHRD-U shared some of theincidences where HRDs were intimidated by the security agencies; that for instance on 4th September 2020, 8 land rights human rights defenders were arrested and detained in Kiryandongo district on the instructions of the area DPC known as Bakaleke Joseph. Ms. Faridah Kyomuhangi, the Head of Programmes at The Human Rights Centre Uganda made a call to all Ugandans to take on the responsibility in the promotion and protection of human rights much as the primary responsibility lies with the state.
Mr. Robert Kirenga and some members of the Coalition at the press conference
Please watch the brief via https://youtu.be/ep3PuDTk9Yg
On the same day of the press conference, reports from Hoima district indicated that there had been arrest of some human rights defenders from Climate Action Network by security agents. Human rights lawyers were keenly following up on the matter.
The Human Rights Defenders in Hoima
THE ELECTORAL PROCESS 2020 LEADING TO GENERAL ELECTIONS IN 2021
Electoral campaigns in Uganda have been termed and labelled as an activity for those with monetary power, favouring the incumbents who have accumulated enough resources to support their electoral campaign process.
According to the Executive Director, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Dr Livingstone Sewanyana, the process of campaigning is very expensive as money is needed for making the posters and paying the campaign agents. He observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even worse because it calls for buying of air time and space for talk shows on TV and or radio stations and this greatly favours the incumbents.
On the issue of lining up behind the aspirant as was done in the NRM primary elections as opposed to secret ballots, Dr. Sewanyana asserted that such type of elections compared to the secret ballot are a recipe for disharmony among families.
https://shiftmedianews.com/poor-candidates-cant-win-elections-in-uganda-dr-livingstone-sewanyana/
From the recently concluded NRM primary elections, the presence of ghost voters was noted as another concern suffocating the principle of a free and fair electoral process. This developed following the petition by Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana to the chairperson of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Electoral Commission Dr. Tanga Odoi challenging the outcome that gave victory to his political nemesis Naome Kabasharira.
Dr. Odoi stated that they went through the results village by the village as the candidates confirmed that they are the right ones and after tallying, the tally gave Rukutana an advantage of 20 votes ahead of Kabasharira. In the initial tally, Kabasharira had been declared the winner with 24,006 votes while Rukutana had 23,966 votes. DrOdoi then said that in two days he would declare the winner after investigations are done. This happened shortly after Minister Rukutanawas released on bail by the Chief Magistrates’ court in Ntungamo. Rukutana is charged with seven counts related to attempted murder, assault and malicious damage to property and threatening violence.
https://www.independent.co.ug/minister-rukutana-takes-lead-in-rushenyi-county-vote-recount/
CHILD SACRIFICE
The Police on Monday 14th September 2020 intercepted and arrested a youthful man, one Joseph Nuwashaba in possession of a human head at Parliament's security check point, in Kampala. The Head of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), Grace Akullo, said that at about 10:00 am Nuwashaba, arrived at Parliament carrying a box containing an item wrapped in orange gift wrapping. At the checkpoint, he was asked about the wrapped item. In his response, according to Akullo, the suspect said: "It is a gift I have brought for the Speaker."When the officers demanded to see the gift, they discovered a human head.
As a policy, all gifts to legislators are checked by security," Akullo explained. Police authorities said the head belonged to a child; a girl possibly aged between five and seven years.
Parents need to remain vigilant and conscious about the safety of their children, by protecting the innocent souls from bloodthirsty monstrous human beings.
https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1527159/man-kills-child-takes-head-parliament
FIRE GUTS THE MAKERERE UNIVERSITY HERITAGE - THE IVORY TOWER BUILDING
On Sunday 20th September 2020, around noon, fire gutted the 98 year old main administration building at Makerere University destroying records and property worth millions of shillings.The Main Building with its unique 20th-century British architecture is easily Makerere’s most recognizable symbol and was constructed with funds from the Colonial Development house and was completed in 1941 under the leadership of George C. Turner, the Principal, Makerere College (1939-46).
The fire is said to have started from the roof spreading to floors that house both records and finance departments. By 10:00am, over nine hours later, the Fire Brigade and Rescue Services Directorate of the Uganda Police were still grappling with the fire. According to Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Director of Research and Graduate Training the building was the identity and heritage of the country’s main University.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54225111
CONCLUSION
Resilience and determination should remain the principle for all human rights defenders, the State and all citizens in order to create an environment or society where the fundamentals of human rights are respected and promoted and realized, especially as the country continues to journey towards the 2021 general elections.
The Human Rights Centre Uganda continues to support human rights defenders including those at the grassroots to ensure that their rights are protected from all kind of violation or abuse.
Everyone is urged to always acknowledge that it is safe to avoid the corona virus than to catch it even if recovery may be possible. Many who have recovered from the virus still battle the side effects caused by the virus for example difficulty in breathing. All the Standard Operating Procedures put in place by the Ministry of Health should be strongly adhered to by all Ugandans.
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