HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.22 OF 2021
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE
UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON HUMAN
RIGHTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS' WORKING
ENVIRONMENT
ISSUE NO.22 of 2021 |The
Week of 7 June- June 13, 2021
COVID-19 SITUATION IN UGANDA
Results of COVID-19 tests done on 12 June 2021 confirm 1,122 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 63,099. #STAYSAFEUG
GOVT INTRODUCES SIX TAX POLICY MEASURES TO INCREASE DOMESTIC REVENUE TO FUND BUDGET
To increase revenue
collection and safeguard the government from the constraint of increasing
public debt, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has
announced new tax policy interventions.
Presenting the National
Budget for the Financial year 2021/22, the designated minister of state for
Planning, Mr Amos Lugoloobi at the Kololo ceremonial grounds said domestic
revenue for next financial year is projected at Shs22.425 trillion, equivalent
to 13.8 percent of GDP, compared to a projected outturn of Shs19.432 trillion,
equivalent to 13.1 per cent of GDP in FY 2020/21.
The other policy intervention interventions he spelt out are: review the capital gains tax regime by allowing for the effect of inflation and providing tax relief for venture capital investments, broaden the scope of taxation of plastics to cover all plastics.
The other policy, according to the minister is rationalize the excise duty regime on telecommunication services by scrapping the excise duty on Over the Top (OTT)
BUNDIBUGYO RDC REFUTES
REPORTED INFLUX OF CONGOLESE REFUGEES INTO THE DISTRICT
The Bundibugyo Resident
District Commissioner, Amos Asiimwe Banji has denied claims about the
reported influx of Congolese refugees into the district. He was responding to
complaints by residents of Burondo, Ntandi, Bubukwanga and Ntotoro sub-counties
in an interview with URN.
It came after residents
complained that several people fleeing from the war-torn Eastern part of DRC
have crossed into Bundibugyo district. Residents fear that the refugees could
fuel the spread of COVID-19 given the surge in infections.
However, Asiimwe Banji
has denied the reported influx of the refugees, saying that they are aware of
people with relatives in DRC who have habitually aided them to enter the
district through Rwamabale in Ntoroko district.
200 LABOUR EXPORT COMPANIES IN CRISIS AS FLIGHTS TO UAE ARE SUSPENDED
The United Arab
Emirates-UAE has suspended flights from Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo
and Zambia in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The move has thrown
Uganda’s over 200 labour ‘externalization’ companies in crisis as most of their
clients (employers) who take in Ugandan workers are in the Middle East to which
Dubai airport in the UAE is the key gateway.
The UAE’s National
Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority-NCEMA says the suspension
will take effect this Friday, June 11.
Also, travelers who were
in the three countries 14 days to their flight to UAE will be denied entry.
However, departing flights from UAE to the three countries and also transit flights heading to these destinations will not be affected.
1,500 students have so
far been transported to their homes after they were stranded in the taxi and
bus parks in Kampala.
Since Tuesday, the
government has been providing transport to clear the numbers of students
stranded in Kampala to get back to their upcountry homes.
On Sunday, President
Museveni directed the closure of schools into a second lockdown to prevent the
spread of Covid-19 among the school-going population. He also slapped a ban on
inter-district travel beyond June 10th, to cater for the students that had to
travel upcountry.
This saw the bus and taxi operators hike transport with some routes tripling the normal fares hence leaving many students stranded in the different parks.
1,500 stranded students evacuated so far (independent.co.ug)
The Ministry of
Education and Sports has made tentative adjustments in the school calendar to
enable learners to complete their respective syllabi before being promoted to
the next classes.
The adjustment comes
days after the government announced a 42-day closure of schools to control
COVID-19 infections in the face of a second wave of the pandemic. Under the new
arrangement, the lower primary classes that were scheduled to return to school
on Monday, June 7, will now report on July 19, 2021, alongside the Senior One
class.
According to the new schedule, the said group of learners will study for six and half weeks and break off on September 3, 2021, while the senior two students will also report on the same day but break off earlier on August 13. After completing the 2020 academic year, the ministry has set September 20, 2021, as the new date for the beginning of the 2021 academic year. Previously, the new academic year was supposed to begin on August 9.
Gov’t adjusts school calendar, extends academic year to September (independent.co.ug)
LOP LASHES OUT AT NRM PARLIAMENTARY CAUCUS FOR APPROVING CABINET EXPANSION PROPOSAL
The Leader of Opposition
in Parliament-LOP, Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba lashed out at the National Resistance
Movement-NRM parliamentary caucus for supporting the expansion of the cabinet
other than addressing priority areas in the country. Last week, the NRM
parliamentary caucus approved the proposal by President Yoweri Museveni to
increase the size of ministers from 79 to 80.
Emmanuel Ddombo, the
Director of Information and Public Relations in NRM says the expansion of the
cabinet is meant to improve government efficiency. However, Mpuuga who also
doubles as the Nyendo-Mukungwe division Member of Parliament in Masaka city
faults the NRM caucus for overlooking other urgent needs of the country such as
improving the facilities for managing COVID-19 patients as opposed to focusing
on rubber-stamping, a proposal that lacks significance to Ugandans.
ICC EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR DOMINIC ONGWEN’S APPEAL ON SENTENCE
The International
Criminal Court Appeals Chamber has extended the deadline for Dominic Ongwen to
file the notice of appeal and the appeal brief against the sentence of the
Trial Chamber IX.
ICC sentenced the former
Sinia brigade commander under the Lord’s Resistance Army-LRA on May 6, 2021, to
25 years in jail after convicting him on 61 counts of war crimes and crimes
against humanity. The crimes were committed in Northern Uganda between July 1,
2002 and December 31, 2005.
While passing the judgement, the court gave Dominic Ongwen’s defense lawyers and the prosecution team 30 days to appeal against the guilty verdict and sentencing. The 30 days elapsed on June 5, 2021.
ICC extends deadline for Dominic Ongwen’s appeal on sentence (independent.co.ug)
URA RELEASES
KYAGULANYI’S BULLET PROOF VEHICLE ON MUSEVENI ORDERS
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu
alias Bobi Wine has received his bulletproof vehicle from Uganda Revenue
Authority-URA. The tax body returned the vehicle that they impounded over tax
issues following a directive from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The tax body impounded
the vehicle in April after court clearance to allow for re-inspection and tax
assessment. After re-examination, URA slapped new taxes of 337 million on the
Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Reg. No. UBJ 667F after confirming that it’s
bulletproof.
In a June 7 letter to Kyagulanyi’s
lawyers led by Anthony Wameli, the URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi
Rujoki said that they had received instructions from the president to return
the vehicle to the owner immediately.
URA releases Kyagulanyi's bullet proof vehicle on Museveni orders (independent.co.ug)
Ugandan President Yoweri
Museveni on Tuesday appointed his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM)
party’s secretary general, deputy and national treasurer as he moves to
constitute the new government.
Museveni, who was sworn
in on May 12 for his sixth five-year term in office, named the party’s former
deputy secretary general, Richard Todwong, as the new secretary general, and
former national party treasurer, Rose Namayanja, as the new deputy secretary
general.
The president appointed
former secretary general, Justine Kasule Lumumba, as the minister in charge of
general duties at the office of the prime minister.
Museveni appointed South
Africa’s high commissioner Barbara Oundo Nekesa as new party national
treasurer.
The president on Tuesday also named the country’s new vice president, prime minister, 32 cabinet ministers and 49 state ministers in the east African country.
Museveni appoints new team at NRM secretariat (independent.co.ug)
UGANDA LAW SOCIETY PETITIONS GOV’T TO CLEAR MOVEMENT FOR LAWYERS
The Uganda Law Society
has petitioned the Ministry of Health to clear its members to move to all
courts without restrictions. The call comes barely a day after President Yoweri
Museveni announced restrictions on movement across districts as a new measure to
control the spread of COVID-19.
Uganda Law Society
President Pheona Nabasa Wall says that 95 percent of lawyers are based in
Kampala and have to travel to various districts to represent their clients. She
adds that they have written to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of
Health to clear the advocates who can prove that they have cases upcountry so
that they can attend to them.
According to a circular
issued on Monday, the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo suspended all court
hearings including hearing of election petitions for 42 days. He ordered that
within these 42 days, the courts will be attending to only urgent matters like
plea taking while observing the standard operating procedures.
The Chief Justice further ordered that for the cases at the stage of submissions, the respective courts may advise the lawyers or parties to file written submissions through email addresses provided by the court.
Uganda Law Society
President Pheona Nabasa Wall. File Photo
Uganda Law Society petitions gov't to clear movement for lawyers (independent.co.ug)
PARLIAMENT OKAYS
EXPANSION OF CABINET TO 80 MINISTERS
The 11th parliament
has considered and passed a motion that allows the expansion of cabinet to 80
ministers.
President Museveni
recently sought permission to have the cabinet increased to add one minister of
state slot to ensure the total number of ministries moves to 80.
On Thursday, West Budama
North MP, Fox Odoi moved a motion to vary the number of cabinet minister and
other ministers in accordance with Article 113 and 114 of the Constitution
before Dokolo Woman MP, Cecilia Ogwal seconded the move.
“I beg for a popular
support so that the elderly can be catered for,”Ogwal said.
There was however a
heated debate as Members of Parliament discussed the motion on the floor of the
August House.
Defending the motion,
Minister Chris Baryomunsi said there is evidence to show that increase in the
number of ministers and other political leaders leads to improved service
delivery.
AS SHE DEPARTS, UN’S
ROSA MALANGO URGES UGANDANS TO LOVE THEIR COUNTRY
Rosa Malango, the UN
Resident Coordinator in Uganda, has challenged Ugandans to love their country
as a way of fostering harmony after the heated 2021 General Election.
Malango said this during
the launch of a campaign dubbed: “This is home” at the UN Resident
Representative’s home in Kololo.
President Museveni
launched the campaign which is one of the last projects of Rosa Malango in the
country. The campaign is aimed at making Ugandans appreciate their country and
be patriotic.
Malango, who is
departing, said Uganda is now a second home to her family, she adopted a child
in Uganda and will be returning often in an individual capacity.
Malango took up the
position in March 2016.
As she departs,
UN's Rosa Malango urges Ugandans to love their country - Nile Post
The Director of Public
Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo, has advised police to release on bond all
suspects arrested for minor offences to decongest cells as they implement
Standard Operating Procedures during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her advice follows the
new presidential directive and the Ministry of Health guidelines on Covid-19
issued on June 6 2021 to contain and curb the spread of the virus in the
country.
Abodo noted that they
will only be handling serious criminal cases especially those that pose a
threat to public order and harmony and bail applications shall be handled
whenever the courts are sitting.
The National Bureau for
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO Bureau) has revoked licenses and suspended
the operations of six NGOs on grounds of increasing fraudulent practices,
forgery, fraud, and lack of proper accountability while executing their
activities.
Speaking to the media in
Kampala, the executive director of the NGO Bureau, Stephen Okello, said that
there are some unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of the NGO sector to
defraud their stakeholders.
The affected
organisations are: Agape Sanctuary Ministries International, Christ Alive
Glorious Ministries International, Equal Opportunities for Women and Children
in Uganda, Dankind Academy, Global Health Community Empowerment and Comforter
of the Afflicted Formation Home (CAFH).
Okello said they have
conducted investigations into a number of these cases and has established that
some of these organisations were involved in forgery of NGO Bureau documents
being issued to its stakeholders.
CONCLUSION
The Human Rights Centre Uganda (HRCU) continue to remind Covid-19 is real and therefore caution all of us that we adhere and respect all the presidential directives and Ministry of Health guidelines so that we combat the spread of the virus.
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