ISSUE NO.28 (12TH -18TH OCTOBER 2020): HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN HRDS' WORKING ENVIRONMENT
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 Monday 12th September – Sunday 18th October 2020
Issue No. 28
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the new week! We thank God who continues to watch over us as human rights defenders, development partners and people of one common purpose – people seeking to contribute to a society where human rights and fundamental freedoms can be respected, upheld and realised.
Considering what is happening, each of can only be called upon to be more vigilant and more cautious about our health and well being, security and direction of life.
HRCU shares these updates with the objective of updating you on the situation of the prevalence of COVID-19, human rights and key emerging issues within the environment in which we live and operate as human rights defenders. Ultimately, we should be able to build up these updates per week and month so that they will inform the annual situation and context of the human rights promotion and protection field and help human rights defenders strategise better for the future in relation to their work.
Below are some of the updates from last week
THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN UGANDA
Results of COVID-19 tests done on 18 October 2020 confirm 101 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are now 10,691. The breakdown of the new cases is: 100 contacts and alerts: Kampala (43), Lira (38), Rubanda (6), Kiryandongo (3), Kisoro (3), Iganga (2), Jinja (2), Namayingo (2), Mukono (1); 1 truck driver from Mirama Hills
https://www.africanews.com/2020/10/04/coronavirus-uganda-daily-covid-19-update-3-october-2020/
UGANDA AND ELECTIONS: THE ROAD TO 2021:
More developments continue to be seen as Uganda heads towards the 2021 under the revised roadmap that was launched on 16th June, 2020. https://theinsider.ug/index.php/2020/06/16/scientific-elections-ec-launches-revised-2020-2021-general-elections-roadmap/
Between the time the revised roadmap was announced or launched to date, a number of activities have taken place amidst challenging and opposing factors and situations. Some of these include the limited understanding of some section of the public of what it really means to have hybrid elections.
https://www.independent.co.ug/2021-elections-how-practical-are-scientific-campaigns-for-uganda/
NOMINATION OF PARLIAMENTARY ASPIRANTS
The Electoral Commission started nominating parliamentary aspirants on Thursday 15th and continued up Friday 16th October 2020.
The requirements for one to be nominated include the aspirant being a registered voter of the specific electoral area they want to represent in parliament. one should also be in possession of a receipt of sh3m nomination fees from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), certificates and original copies of the Uganda advanced certificate of education (UACE) or its equivalent (only for viewing). Other requirements are registered voters to support the aspirants; and in case of change of name, the aspirant must have sworn in an affidavit by a magistrate or commissioner of oath.
Details at: https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1529379/pictures-nomination-parliamentary-aspirants
SODO, KUTESA’S DAUGHTER TO FACE OFF AGAIN AS BOTH ARE NOMINATED FOR MAWOGOLA NORTH
The battle lines were once again been drawn after both Godfrey Aine Kaguta also known as Sodo and Shartsi Kutesa were on Friday 15th October 2020 successfully nominated to stand to represent in Mawogola North constituency in Parliament.
Sodo is a brother to President Museveni whereas Shartsi is a daughter to the incumbent and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Kutesa.
On Friday, both candidates were successfully nominated as independents after the ruling NRM tribunal ruled that Sodo was not rightly elected as the party flag bearer in the primaries and declared the party had no candidate in Mawogola North. The polls had to be postponed twice over ugly scenes of violence between supporters of both Godfrey Aine Kaguta and Shartis Kutesa Musherure who are both close to the First family. However, at the end of the day, Sodo was declared the winner but Shartis Musherure petitioned the party electoral commission citing a number of irregularities.
More information at: https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/10/17/sodo-kutesas-daughter-to-face-off-again-as-both-are-nominated-for-mawogola-north/
41 BOBI WINE SUPPORTERS REMANDED FOR WEARING RED BERETS
A total of 41 supporters of National Unity Platform (NUP) arrested in security raid have been remanded to prison for allegedly possessing military fatigue unlawfully and holding illegal gatherings. The Magistrates Court at City Hall remanded the group until 23rd October 2020 for mention after they denied two charges of unlawful possession of military fatigue and illegal gatherings. The male suspects were remanded to Kitalya Prison while the females were remanded to Kigo Prison.
The state accuses the group of wearing red uniforms gazzetted for exclusive use by persons in the armed forces of Uganda.
The group appeared before Grade One Magistrate, Mr. Valerian Tumuhimbise who remanded the saying the court will hear their applications for bail in the next session.
More information at: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/41-bobi-wine-supporters-remanded-for-wearing-red-berets--2483102
AMURIAT NAMES BIRIGGWA TO LEAD HIS CAMPAIGN TEAM
The
Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flag bearer Patrick
Amuriat yesterday appointed Wasswa Biriggwa, the party national chairperson, to
head his campaign team for 2021 General Election.
Mr Biriggwa contested with Mr Amuriat for the party’s flag but stepped
down for Mr Amuriat on the polling day last week.
The
FDC electoral commission announced Mr. Amuriat as the party flag bearer for
2021 presidential elections.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi,
Kampala, yesterday, Mr. Amuriat said Mr Biriggwa would be the director general
of his campaigns.
He also named Mr. Roland Kaginda Mugume, the FDC Rukungiri Municipality MP, as
the national field coordinator, and Mr Albert Okello Oduman as the executive
director of the campaign bureau.
Details at: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/amuriat-names-biriggwa-to-lead-his-campaign-team-2464036
BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: EXTERNAL LABOUR RECRUITMENT COMPANIES RESOLVE TO CLOSE BUSINESS IN UGANDA
External Labour Recruitment Companies, under their association of Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA) have resolved to officially close business in the country, citing continued closure of their business by government.
The government in June this year announced that it will not engage in job recruitments training and suspended all externalisation of labour due to the COVID-19 pandemic that affected cross border movements.
Speaking at a press conference held on Friday afternoon, Baker Akantambira, the Chairperson of UAERA said that although the Ministry of Gender is charged with the regulation of their industry, the association is concerned that the Ministry takes decisions without engaging them as key stakeholders.
To date, there are more than 165,000 Ugandans who are gainfully employed in the Middle East through the UAERA.
More details at: https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/10/17/external-labour-recruitment-companies-resolve-to-close-business-in-uganda/
RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: CELEBRATING WHITE CANE DAY - GOVERNMENT PLEDGES SUPPORT TO PERSONS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
Government has reaffirmed its commitment for inclusiveness in all programs for persons with visual impairment as the country adopts to the ‘new normal’ brought about by the corona virus pandemic. On Thursday October 15, 2020, Uganda joined the rest of the world to commemorate the ‘International White Cane Day’ observed every year to celebrate the achievements of people who are visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool for independence.
Celebrated under the theme, ’breaking barriers to Covid-19 interventions by people with visual impairment,’ this was a call to stakeholders, law and policy makers, to ensure designing and redesigning proper infrastructure for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to adhere to Covid-19 protocols and exceptional attention to be given to persons with visual impairment in accessing all services and goods.
According to the Uganda national corporation template 2019 report, people with disabilities constitute 12.4% of the entire population of Uganda and of these, visual impairment accounts for the biggest form of disability contributing 4.5%.
More details at: https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/10/17/white-cane-day-government-pledges-support-to-persons-with-visual-impairment/
HUMAN RIGHTS, BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE:
WHY HACKERS WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF RECENT MOBILE MONEY SYSTEM FRAUD INVOLVING BANKS, TELECOM COMPANIES
The Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) explained circumstances under which the recent money heist involving the hacking of mobile money system for various banks by fraudsters was successful, leading to loss of billions of shillings.
On October 5, 2020 unknown hackers broke into the system of Pegasus Technologies before taking off with an unspecified amount of money belonging to several companies including banks and telecoms. It has since been reported that the hackers used over 2000 mobile phone numbers to execute their mission and that the heist took more than two days without notice of the financial systems involved.
However, according to the Financial Intelligence Authority, since the money involved was in small amounts, it was not easy for anyone to detect that something sinister was going.
The Financial Intelligence Authority was established to monitor, investigate, and prevent money laundering, financing of terrorism in Uganda and related activities. However, according to the FIA Executive Director, the hackers transferred billions of shillings to telecom companies then to the different sim cards in usual amounts.
UGANDAN SCHOOLS REOPEN FOR CANDIDATE STUDENTS AMID COVID-19
Ugandan schools on Thursday reopen for candidate students to resume studies after seven months of the government closure over COVID-19 pandemic.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the ministry of health spokesperson, told Xinhua that the government has provided strict standard operating procedures guidelines and put robust mitigation measures in place to prevent the spread of the novel corona virus as schools reopen for candidate classes.
President Yoweri Museveni last month directed the reopening of schools, colleges and universities, closed in March for the 1.2 million students in candidate classes and finalists to complete their studies amid a spike in COVID-19 infections.
Details at: https://africa.cgtn.com/2020/10/16/ugandan-schools-reopen-for-candidate-students-amid-covid-19/
CONCLUSION
It is reassuring to note that the country is moving forward despite the dynamics in the human rights promotion and protection arena. The current situation presents so many challenges but in these, there also appear to be opportunities for human rights defenders to continue thinking strategically to see that they counter the threats and opposing forces to their work.
In seeking to promote and protect human rights, the heavy call still lies in ensuring that we all continue to strictly observe standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place to help us counter the further spread of COVID-19.
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