HRCU WEEKLY UPDATES: ISSUE NO.10 OF 2021
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND KEY
EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN THE HRD’S WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Issue No.10 of 2021: Week of Monday 15th
to Sunday 21st March 2021
INTRODUCTORY PHRASE
We
live in changing times but if we must change, let’s change for better. Each of
us is a human rights defender – we are people who are working individually and
in association with others not only to promote but also strive for the
protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms. HRCU is
committed to see that human rights defenders are informed of their environment
so that they can engage in meaningful advocacy initiatives for a better
tomorrow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Some updates from the week of March 15 – 21,
2021
The COVID-19 Situation and Information
At
the time of compiling and sharing this update, Uganda had total cumulative
cases of COVID-19 standing at 40,671 with
deaths remaining at 334 and
recoveries of 15,133.
Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uganda
The Fight against COVID-19: The Commonwealth lauds Museveni for COVID-19 response
On
Tuesday March 16, 2020, the Commonwealth General Secretary Rt. Hon. Patricia
Scotland hailed President Yoweri Museveni for the proper response to COVID-19
pandemic in Uganda. She made the remarks when she paid a courtesy call on the
President at State House Entebbe. She was accompanied by the Senior Director at
Commonwealth Prof. Luis Franceschi and Communication Officer Ms. Temtope
Kulajaiye.
President
Museveni highlighted a wide range of issues pertaining to strategies laid down
by the commonwealth towards implementation of the proposed tool kits covering
economic, social and infrastructure sectors in the Commonwealth member
countries. He asked her to support Uganda with technical consultancy on
research, medical and ICT sectors. The meeting was also attended by the
Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Sam Kuteesa and the Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs Hon. Okello Oryem, among others.
Source: Daily Monitor, Wednesday March 17, 2021: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/commonwealth-lauds-museveni-for-covid-19-response-3325576
See
also: State House News, Tuesday March 16, 2021: https://www.statehouse.go.ug/media/news/2021/03/16/commonwealth-lauds-president-covid-response
Effect of COVID-19: Six Students Give Birth during UCE Examinations
According to Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), six candidates had so far given birth during the ongoing Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations. The six are from Northern and Eastern districts of the country and are among hundreds of learners who conceived during the long holiday that started with the closure of schools in March 2020, as one of the measures taken by the government to control the spread of coronacoronavirus (COVID-19) disease.
Source and more details: The Observer, Monday March 15, 2021: https://observer.ug/education/68846-6-students-give-birth-during-uce-examinations
----------------------------------------------------------------
Death of President Magufuli: Museveni
Declares 14 Days To Mourn “True Friend” Magufuli
Shocking
news of President John Pombe Magufuli were given by the Tanzaniana Vice
President Samia Suluhu Hassan who noted that the President died as a result of
heart complications on Thursday March 18, 2021. Heads of States within the East
African Community and beyond read their condolence messages.
In
his statement issued on Thursday March 18, President Museveni declared a 14-day
period of mourning in honor of the deceased leader. He also proclaimed that the
flags of Uganda and that of East African Community shall be flown at half-mast
throughout Uganda’s missions abroad.
This
implies that under in which they comforted the people of Tanzania and prayed
for calm to prevail. According to the Tanzanian Constitution, the Vice
President, Samia Suluhu Hassan becomes the President and this means that she
writes history as the first female leader of the East African nation since its
independence from Britain in late 1961.
Source and more details: Daily Monitor Sunday March 21, 2021: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/museveni-declares-14-days-to-mourn-true-friend-magufuli-3329898
Also
see: VOA News: Samia Hassan Poised to Become Tanzania’s First Woman President www.voanews.com
----------------------------------------------------
The 2021 Presidential Election Petition: Justice Kisakye Gives Dissenting Judgment in Kyagulanyi’s Case
Minutes
after the Supreme Court allowed Robert Kyagulanyi’s election petition
withdrawal with no costs attached, attempts by Justice Esther Kisakye to
deliver a minority judgment ended embarrassingly as her colleagues walked out
on her.
Justice Esther Kisakye of the Supreme Court
disagreed with eight Justices in their decision on two applications arising
from the presidential election petition filed by former presidential candidate
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
Kyagulanyi petitioned the Supreme Court to
challenge President Museveni’s victory in the presidential elections. At the
start of the petition hearing, Kyagulanyi first filed an application seeking to
be given more time to amend his petition and introduce new grounds. He filed
another seeking to file additional affidavits and another seeking to withdraw
the whole petition.
On Thursday March 18, the two applications
were dismissed by the eight Justices led by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo
on grounds that a presidential election petition cannot be amended due to the
strict timelines within which it should be determined. However, Justice Kisakye
in her dissenting judgment said that the reasons advanced by Kyagulanyi were
more than unusual circumstances and therefore his applications should have all
been allowed; that it was not right for the Attorney General to argue the way
he did on the strict timelines because the issue of amending petitions has
happened before in the presidential election petition of Amama Mbabazi and
therefore it cannot be unlawful.
Source: The Independent, Friday March 19, 2021: https://www.independent.co.ug/justice-kisakye-gives-dissenting-judgement-in-kyagulanyis-case/
The Quest for Justice: Bobi Wine petitions
Chief of Defence Forces over Detained NUP Members
Mr.
Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, yesterday petitioned the Chief of Defence
Forces (CDF), Gen. David Muhoozi, with five demands for release of his party
supporters who are in army detention. He also demanded that the Uganda Peoples’
Defence Forces ceases trying civilians in military courts.
The
National Unity Platform leader and former Presidential candidate Robert
Kyagulanyi on Wednesday March 16, 2021 wrote to the Chief of Defence Forces
Gen. David Muhoozi and the Minister of Defence Adolf Mwesige demanding for
answers for the missing party supporters whose number had risen from 423 to 512.
The petition was taken by a group of NUP leaders including party spokesperson,
Mr. Joel Ssenyonyi but their attempt to deliver it to Gen. Muhoozi’s office at
Mbuya were futile as they were blocked at the Barracks’ Quarter Guard.
Source: Daily Monitor, Wednesday March 17, 2021: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/bobi-petitions-cdf-over-detained-nup-members-3325298
----------------------------------------------------
The Fight against Child Abuse: Abusive Mother
Arrested, Child Gets Bursary up to University
The woman who was captured in a
viral video beating her child, was arrested in Bwaise, a city suburb, at a home
where she had just got a job to look after children a few days ago.
Ms. Patience Owimana, in her 30s and
former convict in an attempted murder of her father, had been on the run after
she allegedly beat her child Elvin Ssebandeke in Kyazanga, Lwengo district. The
Spokespeerson of Criminal Investigations Directorate, Mr. Charles Twiine, said
upon getting information that she was wanted by Police, she stole the property
of her husband Charles Mawanda in Kyazanga and escaped to Luweero.
Ssebandeke was rescued and a local organization
has contacted Police to allow them to treat him and pay his school fees up to
University level.
Source: Daily Monotor, Tuesday March 16, 2021: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/abusive-mother-arrested-child-gets-bursary-up-to-varsity-3324812
----------------------------------------------------------------
The New Face of Traffic Police: Police unveils new traffic uniform
Uganda
Police Force de-gazetted four of its 17 uniforms. The de-gazetted ones include
the white traffic uniform, brown camouflage won by Anti-stock theft unit, Blue
marine police uniform and the dark blue uniform won by aviation police.
Source: The Independent, Monday March 15, 2021: https://www.independent.co.ug/police-unveils-new-traffic-uniform/
-----------------------------------------------------
Wins for Uganda: Uganda Airlines Wins
World’s Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award 2021
The national carrier, Uganda Airlines was
announced as the winner of the aviation world’s youngest Aircraft fleet award
of 2021.
Uganda Airlines which is just is just a year
and about a month old and has a fleet of 6 aircrafts defeated other airlines
including Sky Airline and jetSmart from South America, airBaltic from Europe
and Asia’s Salam Air.
Source: 93.3KFM News, Wednesday March 17, 2021: https://www.kfm.co.ug/news/uganda-airlines-wins-worlds-youngest-aircraft-fleet-award-2021.html
---------------------------------------------------
Regional News | East African Community: Samia
Suluhu Hassan – Tanzania’s New President
On Wednesday
March 17, 2021, Samia Suluhu had the task of announcing to Tanzanians that
President John Magufuli had died and now she has taken his place as the
country’s Head of State.
First
elected as Magufuli’s running mate in 2015, she was re-elected last year along
with him and, according to the Constitution; she should serve out the rest of
the five-year term in the top job. She becomes Africa’s only current female
national leader because the Ethiopian presidency is largely a ceremonial role
and joins the short list of women on the continent to have run their countries.
Source and details at: BBC World News/Africa: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56444575
CONCLUDING PHRASE
Whoever
you are, wherever you are, there is an opportunity for you to stand up for
someone’s rights today. We all have a great calling to speak about human rights
every time everywhere so that as many people as possible can have information
and realize the importance of working as one to promote peaceful co-existence.
Comments
Post a Comment