ISSUE NO.1/2021: 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 HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS’ WORKING ENVIRONMENT
ISSUE NO.1/2021
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to 2021! It’s the third week of the year and as we may notice, individuals, companies, organisations and institutions are picking up with great energy. No doubt, so much is happening within the context or operating environment of human rights defenders. This is the very week that opens the elections in the country for different positions of leadership, including the Presidential elections scheduled to take place on January 14. We can only hope that peace shall prevail given that so many stakeholders have put in effort and emphasis on ensuring that the elections are held credibly, freely and fairly.
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COVID-19 UPDATE IN UGANDA
Results of COVID-19 tests done on 10 January 2021 confirm 66 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are now 37,808. One COVID-19 death was recorded bringing the total COVID-19 deaths 302. The breakdown of the new cases are: 65 contacts and alerts: Kampala (32) Butaleja (8) Soroti (12) Jinja (3) Tororo (3) Kitgum (2) Bukedea (1) Wakiso (3) Mukono (1); 1 Truck driver: Malaba PoE.
Source: Ministry of Health Facebook page:
https://web.facebook.com/minofhealthUGUGANDAN TOP GENERAL SUCCUMBS TO COVID-19
The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) is mourning, following the death of Brig. Gen. Michael Bbosa, the Chief of Communications and Information Technology (CCIT), who succumbed to Covid-19 at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Friday afternoon. Defence spokesperson Brig. Flavia Byekwaso confirmed Bbosa's death, noting: "He passed on this afternoon at Mulago National Referral Hospital. We join the family in grief at this trying moment and pray for God's strength."
Bbossa was in June 2016 transferred from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence to the CCIT. He becomes one of the highest UPDF soldiers to succumb to the virus a day after it took the former Minister Kisamba Mugerwa.
By Friday January 1, 2021, the country had hit the 300 death mark and there are fears of increased deaths following the rising infections being recorded in the country.
Source: The New Vision, January 8, 2021:
https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1537479/ugandan-succumbs-covid-19
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UGANDA AND ELECTIONS: THE JOURNEY TO 2021 GENERAL ELECTIONS
Between January 11 and February 3, 2021, Ugandans will be involved in voting for their leaders for the next term of office/leadership. The much expected day is January 14 when the Presidential elections will be conducted.
OPPOSITION FORM JOINT TALLY CENTRE FOR POLLS
Opposition political parties and independent presidential candidates yesterday agreed to form a joint tally centre which will coordinate and compute results in next week’s General Election. They, however, declined to reveal where the tally centre will be stationed or how it will work. The Opposition forces are the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), National Unity Platform, Justice Forum (Jeema), Democratic Party, Alliance for National and Transformation, Lt Gen (retired) Henry Tumukunde’s Renewed Uganda platform and Dr Kizza Besigye’s People’s Government.
In a joint statement titled “Unity in Diversity (UID) Forum for Political formations and Presidential Candidates” issued yesterday at Hotel Africana in Kampala, the Opposition teams resolved to use technology and party structures to collect result from polling stations across the country.
For more information please read Daily Monitor, Wednesday January 6, 2020: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/opposition-form-joint-tally-centre-for-next-week-s-poll-3248704
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VOTING MATERIALS: NINE DISTRICTS RECEIVE VOTING MATERIALS
As the country prepares to go to polls, authorities at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Wednesday started dispatching polling materials to the 146 district offices across the country. The EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, flagged off the first batch of electoral material, including ballot papers, and voter registers for the election of Councillors for Special Interest Groups (SIG), as well as parliamentary and presidential elections. The kit also includes Declaration Forms, accountability forms, official report books, cordoning strips, polling officials’ attires, solar lamps, among others.
Source: Daily Monitor, Thursday January 7, 2020:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/nine-districts-receive-voting-materials-3249606
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ELECTION MATERIALS: MBARARA CANDIDATES EXPRESS CONCERN OVER BROKEN ELECTION MATERIAL SEALS
Mbarara City candidates have expressed disappointment with the Electoral Commission for delivering election materials with broken seals.
The Electoral Commission on Thursday delivered the materials for the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for January 14. The materials included ballot papers, polling register, declaration forms, the ink pad, indelible ink and pens among others.
However, the boxes had seals which were broken, raising suspicion amongst political party representatives and independent candidates. Each box was supposed to be sealed with two seals of different colours but more than 20 boxes had one seal or both seals broken.
Source: The Observer, Friday January 8, 2021:
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UGANDAN POLICE CONFRONT BOBI WINE DURING ONLINE BRIEFING
Police in Uganda confronted popular opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine during an online news conference on Thursday that was held to announce a petition to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Journalists watched as an officer appeared to drag Bobi Wine from the car while he pleaded that he had broken no law. He added that police fired tear gas and bullets as they swarmed his car.
“I am not even allowed to park on the side of the road,” he said. “Please don’t embarrass our country.”
Bobi Wine was allowed to finish the briefing and drive on. He had spent the day campaigning during which he said 23 members of his team had been arrested.
Source: Aljazeera News January 7, 2021:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/7/ugandan-police-confront-bobi-wine-during-online-briefing
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MEDIA FREEDOM AHEAD OF ELECTIONS: WE SHALL NOT APOLOGISE, OCHOLA TELLS JOURNALISTS
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Martins Okoth Ochola said that police will not apologize to journalists for allegedly being mishandled and beaten up by security officers while on duty. "Cooperate with us, we need you, you need us. It is not that we are the enemies of the media, we are trying to protect your life. If we tell you that there is danger there and you continue to go there, we shall beat you for the sake of your life," he said.
Ochola made the remarks at a pre-election joint security press conference attended by the security and defence ministers and other senior security officers at the police headquarters Naguru on Friday, January 8. He blamed the media of working to undermine the security forces by portraying them as being brutal and working against the government itself.
"We shall use reasonable force to ensure that you do not go where there is a risk and for that one, I do not have any apology. You are saying is police apologizing for mishandling journalists? My answer is, very sorry, excuse me, we shall not apologize," he said.
Source: New Vision, Friday January 8, 2021:
https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1537455/apologise-ochola-tells-journalists---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UN EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN UGANDA
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern over what she called deteriorating human rights situation in Uganda ahead of next week's general election on January 14. The UN was deeply concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in Uganda ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for 14 January and the challenges this situation may pose not only for voting day itself, but also for the post-electoral period.
Read full statement via The Observer Saturday January 9, 2020:
https://observer.ug/news/headlines/68124-un-expresses-concern-over-human-rights-abuses-in-uganda
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ENVIRONMENT: THOUSANDS OF DEAD FISH WASHED UP ON SHORES OF LAKE VICTORIA
Although the cause is not yet established, with many fearing poisoning or pollution, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fishery (MAAIF) together with the environmental authority in Uganda have raised the possibility that the cause could be increasing algae, which they say tends to suffocate the fish by using up the oxygen in the water.
The ministry’s conclusion came after investigation teams picked sample collection from Kasenyi landing site and surrounding areas, Gguda landing site (greenfields), Bugonga landing site and Kigungu Landing site and Wagagi Flower Farm and Lido beach all in Wakiso.
For details, please read: The Independent, January 10, 2021:
https://www.independent.co.ug/hundreds-of-dead-fish-washed-up-on-shores-of-lake-victoria/
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NEWS AROUND THE WORLD: GUNS OUT, WINDOWS SMASHED AS TRUMP SUPPORTERS TURN CONGRESS INTO BATTLEFIELD
Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held Wednesday to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup.
Hours after an extraordinary rally by Trump seeking to overturn the election, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and swarmed inside, rampaging through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors.
Source: Daily Monitor, Thursday January 7, 2020:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/guns-out-windows-smashed-as-trump-supporters-turn-congress-into-battlefield-3249574---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONCLUSION
The reality remains that each of is a human rights defender and therefore, we ought to be concerned about what is happening in our communities. It is time to step out of our comfort zones, wear our masks and reach out to the nearest people to us and request them to pray for and maintain peace throughout this year. Peace shall not be required only on the voting day but even after. Human rights promotion and protection must be stitched coinciding responsibilities, meaning that if one has the right to vote, they must actually step out and exercise this right and in doing so, they are being responsible.
COVID-19 is real. Let’s continue to observe all the standard operating procedures in place to curb the further spread of the disease.
HRCU is still committed to work closely with all human rights defenders and stakeholders to contribute to a favorable environment for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Uganda.
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