HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.29 OF 2021
WEEKLY
UPDATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS
DEFENDERS' WORKING ENVIRONMENT
ISSUE
NO.29 of 2021 |The Week of 26th July – 1st August, 2021
The
Human Rights Centre Uganda (HRCU) takes this opportunity to congratulate His
Royal Highness Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II upon reaching 28 years since his
coronation as the Kabaka of Buganda Kingdom. As an organization that takes
pride in cultural rights, traditional customs and individual heritage, we
recognize the contribution of His Royal Highness in empowering the masses to
ensure respect of/for human rights. Efforts are appreciated in line with the
enormous work in health rights protection especially the drive to combat
Fistula and Sickle cells in Uganda.
HRCU
pledges to continue supporting the Kabaka in his working of ensuring that
social and cultural rights continue to be observed, respected and promoted.
COVID-19
SITUATION IN UGANDA
Results
of COVID-19 tests done on 30 July 2021 confirm 268 new cases. The cumulative
confirmed cases are 94,195.
The
breakdown of the results are:
265
Contacts and Alerts: Kampala (88), Gulu (25), Kabarole (16), Kiboga (13),Kagadi
(12), Kakumiro (11), Mbale (10), Oyam (10), Adjumani (9), Wakiso (14), Mukono
(8), Tororo (8), Masaka (5), Bunyangabu (4), Kween (5), Kyotera (4) Yumbe
(5), Arua (3), Bugiri (4), Kalaki (3), Kumi (3), Mbarara (3), Mityana (3),
Lwengo (2), Moyo (2), Mubende (2), Pallisa (2), Rwampara (2), Amudat (1),Amuru
(2), Busia (1), Butaleja (1), Ibanda (1), Jinja (1), Kanungu (1), Kayumga (1),
Kiruhura (1), Koboko (1), Luwero (1) Lyantonde (1), Mukono(1), Nakapiripirit
(1), Nakaseke (1), Nakasongola (1), Namayingo (1), Napak (1), Obongi (1),
Pakwach (1), Rakai (1), Soroti (1), Zombo (1). 3 Truck Drivers: Kyotera (2),
Tororo (1)
MUSEVENI
LIFTS LOCKDOWN; BARS, CHURCHES STILL CLOSED
President
Museveni has announced the lifting of the lockdown in which public transport
has been allowed to operate and arcades allowed to reopen but under strict
adherence to Standard Operating Procedures.
On
June 18, the president announced an immediate 42-day lockdown imposed on the
country in a move aimed at mitigating the surging cases of Covid-19 as the
country entered into a second wave of the pandemic.
On
Friday, he noted that the lockdown has been of great help leading to a
reduction in daily confirmed cases from 1735 to an average of 71 per day now
whereas the positivity rate has also gone down from 22% to only 8%.
LACK
OF AMBULANCE SERVICES IN WEST NILE HINDERING REFERRAL OF COVID-19 PATIENTS
Districts
in the West Nile region are struggling to manage the Covid-19 pandemic due to
lack of ambulances. Following the resurgence of the second wave of the
coronavirus, some of the districts require referral of patients to Arua and
Mulago national referral hospital.
In
the Arua district, there is only one ambulance which is inadequate to manage
Covid-19 cases in the district. Paul Drileba, the acting District Health
Officer says the situation has become difficult to manage in the four
sub-counties since they struggle to ensure timely referral of cases to Arua.
MUSEVENI
BLAMES PARLIAMENT FOR DELAYS IN COVID-19 VACCINE PROCUREMENT
President
Yoweri Museveni has blamed the 10th Parliament for delaying the procurement of
COVID-19 vaccines, even as the country struggled to beat the pandemic during
the first wave. The Government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa told the NRM
Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of the different Parliamentary committees
that the President was unhappy about the delays in approving supplementary
budgets tabled before parliament at the time. He said that when the government
sought a supplementary of 292 billion Shillings which included 18.5 billion
Shillings for the COVID-19 vaccines in February 2021, the tenth Parliament
delayed its approval for over two months.
According
to Tayebwa who was quoting President Museveni, the decisions by parliament are
what delayed the procurement of vaccines from the serum institute of India
before the situation in India got out of hand, leading to the suspension of
sales for the AstraZeneca vaccines. Tayebwa was speaking during orientation for
committee leaders on their mandate and how they are expected to conduct
business.
https://www.independent.co.ug/museveni-blames-parliament-for-delays-in-covid-19-vaccine-procurement/
TRADERS
WANT RENT ARREARS WAIVED
Kampala
City Traders Association (KACITA) have asked the government to intervene in the
challenges faced by traders during the lockdown.
On
Tuesday, the leaders appeared before Parliament’s Trade Committee led by Hope
Katwiine, the KACITA Vice-chairperson. They told MPs that the traders are
facing increasing rent arrears, bank loans, limited government support, new tax
policy amendments during lockdown among others.
Katwiine
told MPs that traders have lost business since March 2020 when Uganda
registered its first Covid-19 case. She said that on top of losing their
capital, rent was not waived and loans were carried forward, which has increased
the burden on the business community.
PROSECUTORS
DEMAND FOR COVID-19 RISK ALLOWANCES
The
Uganda Association of Prosecutors-UAP, an umbrella that brings together all the
State Attorneys dealing in the criminal matters in the country wants to be
given Covid-19 risk allowances.
According
to the press statement issued by the Secretary General of the Association
Arthurton Kukundakwe and General Counsel Timothy Amerit, the association is
concerned about the state of prosecutors who are increasingly getting infected
with COVID-19 during the course of their duties.
https://www.independent.co.ug/prosecutors-demand-for-covid-19-risk-allowances/
KABAKA TO MUSEVENI ON
MAILO LAND; WHY ONLY LAND IN BUGANDA?
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda
Mutebi II has said Buganda Kingdom will not relent on advocating for what
belongs to its people including land. Speaking at his 28th coronation
anniversary ceremony held at Nkoni Palace in Lwengo District on Saturday, the
Kabaka said it is appalling that whereas other areas too have land, it is only
that in Buganda being targeted by different people.
“We condemn those who
deliberately create a situation to derail us from reminding government on what
belongs to us. We have heard many people discuss about land in Buganda and many
have said it is curtailing Uganda’s development. This is not true. Those who
say this want to weaken the kingdom of Buganda,” Kabaka said.
OULANYAH
ASKS UGANDANS TO PRAY FOR THE SICK, AND NOT DECLARE THEM DEAD
The
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah made a return to Parliament after more
than a month of absence. He returned from the United Kingdom last week in what
Parliament says was a private visit. Oulanyah last presided over Parliament at
the reading of the 2021/2022 financial year budget at Kololo Independence
grounds shortly after his election as Speaker of Parliament. But his absence
from the public triggered speculation about his heath, with media reports
indicating that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
There
were reports that Oulanyah was transported to Entebbe International Airport in
an ambulance and carried on a stretcher to the plane that evacuated him from
Uganda. As he returned to Parliament, Oulanyah received a triumphant welcome
from the Parliament leadership led by Deputy Speaker Anita Among, Parliament
Commissioners, and some Members of Parliament.
https://www.independent.co.ug/oulanyah-asks-ugandans-to-pray-for-the-sick-and-not-declare-them-dead/
SOLICITOR
GENERAL SEEKS TIME IN MABIRIZI’S CASE CHALLENGING VEHICLE TRACKING DEVICES
The
Director for Civil Litigation Martin Mwambutsya writing on behalf of the Solicitor
General has petitioned the Deputy Registrar of the High Court saying that
government is not ready for hearing of the case challenging its decision to
install tracking devices in all vehicles. The June 29th 2021, decision which
requires government to be monitoring the movement and location of each vehicle
was challenged by lawyer Male Mabirizi on Monday this week.
This
was on grounds that Cabinet acted outside its mandate affecting Ugandan’s right
to privacy without an Act of Parliament through which citizens can be able to
ascertain whether the limitations are demonstrably justifiable in a free and
democratic society.
The
government revealed that the devices which are to be introduced as one of the
ways to reduce criminality in the country will be paid for at the cost of each
car owner. But Mabirizi argues that government had entered into contract with a
Russian firm Global Systems LLC to supply the said devices for a period of ten
years without going through the procurement processes provided for under the
laws.
ACTIVISTS PROTEST POLICE RAIDS ON SEXUAL WORKERS
HIV
advocates have condemned the continued harassment of sex workers especially by
police officers under the guise of enforcing the standard operating procedures
(SOPs) against Covid-19 to defraud them of their money. Speaking to journalists
on Wednesday, Macklean Kyomya, the Executive Director at Alliance of Women
Advocating for Change (AWAC), an organization that advocates for rights of key
populations, said that they have recorded complaints of officers breaking into
hotel rooms and arresting sex workers while threatening them to pay bribes.
She
says that during the recent police raid on a guest house in Rubaga division,
the sex workers claim to have paid not less than Shillings 100,000 for their
freedom. Calling on the President not to assent to the controversial Sexual
Offenses Bill that was approved by parliament in May, Kyomya said the police
are already warming up for its operationalization since it criminalizes sex
work.
https://www.independent.co.ug/activists-protest-police-raids-on-sexual-workers/
COURT
HALTS FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS AGAINST MASAKA DEPUTY COURT REGISTRAR
The
High Court has issued a temporary injunction blocking the Uganda Police Force
and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit from continuing with the inquiries
into alleged fraud of more than three billion shillings by the Masaka Deputy
Court Registrar Cissy Kawuma Mudhasi. Justice Musa Ssekaana, the head of the
Civil Division has issued an order that will be in place until the
determination of the pending main case for enforcement of rights seeking to
challenge the criminal investigations into Mudhasi’s judicial work which are
being conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department of Police and the
State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
Mudhasi
was interdicted on June 24th 2020, by the then acting Chief Registrar Tom
Chemutai accusing her of three offences including producing poor standard work,
conducting herself in a manner prejudicial to the image and dignity and
reputation of service contrary to the Judicial Service Regulations of 2005.
COURT
REJECTS REQUEST TO HEAR CASE OF 74 NUP SUPPORTERS IN LOCKDOWN
The
High Court in Kampala has rejected a request to hear a case demanding the
unconditional release of 74 National Unity Platform supporters arrested in the
just concluded election campaigns.
Civil
Division Judge Boniface Wamala on Wednesday rejected the request made by city
lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima requiring the court to hear the application during
the lockdown.
Turyamusiima
filed the case on Tuesday arguing that it is more than 120 days since the 74
people were arrested and that the Human Rights Enforcement Act provides that
they can be released unconditionally from their detention if the trial has not
commenced within that time.
However,
in his ruling, Justice Wamala rejected the application on grounds that the
charging of the suspects in a court-martial is not illegal per-say and that
many Ugandans haven’t been tried and are on remand and also fall in that
category.
https://www.independent.co.ug/court-rejects-request-to-hear-case-of-74-nup-supporters-in-lockdown/
JUSTICE
REMMY KASULE RETIRES AFTER 17 YEARS OF SERVICE
Court
of Appeal’s Justice Remmy Kasule has retired from judicial service after
serving for 17 years.
In
a memo dated July 26, 2021, to Judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal,
High court; registrars, and magistrates, the Chief Registrar Sarah Langa
applauded Kasule for his services to the judiciary and the country at large.
“Hon
Justice Remmy Kasule successfully completed his contract as Justice of the
Court of Appeal on July,22, 2021. I wish to congratulate His Lordship for the
distinguished service he has rendered to the judiciary and country at large. I
wish him a peaceful and enjoyable retirement,”Langa said in the memo.
AMURU
SUB COUNTY REGISTERS 170 CASES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCIES IN ONE MONTH
Amuru
sub county in Amuru district has registered 170 cases of teenage pregnancies
within 35 days of the second lockdown. This was established in a survey
conducted by the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) Uganda, a
non-governmental organization in partnership with Amuru sub county through the
Village Health Team (VHT).
Albert
Ladaa, the Assistant Community Development Officer in Amuru sub county told URN
on Tuesday that the most affected are girls in primary five and six aged
between 15 and 17 years. He says that the report implicates parents for
neglecting their roles and duties in protecting young girls and children from
abusers.
KARIMOJONG
DISARMAMENT: ARMY, POLICE RECOVER 23 GUNS IN TWO WEEKS
The
ongoing cordon and search operation by the army and police has led to the
recovery of 23 firearms from cattle rustlers across Karamoja region since the
second phase of disarmament exercise started on July 17th, 2021. Michael
Longole, the Karamoja Region police spokesperson says 12 out of 23 firearms
were recovered through voluntarily disarmament while the remaining firearms
were recovered through forceful disarmament.
https://www.independent.co.ug/karimojong-disarmament-army-police-recover-23-guns-in-two-weeks/
NEW
COSASE MEMBERS CAUTIONED ON CORRUPTION
Members
of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State
Enterprises (COSASE) have been cautioned against corruption as the committee
started its work.
The
warning was issued by the new committee chairperson and Nakawa West MP Joel
Ssenyonyi while delivering his remarks at the orientation of the committee
members on Tuesday. Ssenyonyi said that there have been concerns about
accountability committees including COSASE engaging in corruption tendencies,
with members courting or lobbying the different entities they are supposed to
supervise.
https://www.independent.co.ug/new-cosase-members-cautioned-on-corruption/
HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION IN FINANCIAL CRISIS
Uganda
Human Rights Commission-UHRC is battling a financial crisis. The commission
which is mandated with promoting human rights in the country lacks funds to
conduct investigations into human rights violations, carry out education on
human rights and conduct staff training.
Dr.
Patricia Achan, one of the commissioners says that they even lack funding to
cater for salaries and allowances of staff to conduct key work like
investigations of cases brought to their attention.
Although
the commissioner could not tell the exact number of cases pending
investigations, the 2018 report by the commission shows that they registered
4,926 complaints and 5,021 in 2017.
https://www.independent.co.ug/human-rights-commission-in-financial-crisis/
DPP,
BOU CALL FOR TOUGHER CYBER CRIMINAL LAWS
The
financial sector players and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions want the
government to strengthen the laws against cybercrime and other economic
offences to include recovery as part of the legal process.
This
is part of the many proposals they think, if implemented, could reduce the risk
the financial sector faces, especially as digitization continues to take root.
As the economy and financial sector in particular digitalize further, the need
for physical cash reducing cybercrimes gets more sophisticated.
Forensics
and cyber security expert Mustapha Mugisa says the industry players have an
advantage that they have to be ahead of the game, while the criminals keep
studying the developments, for loopholes to strike. The damage inflicted on the
global economy will amount to US$ 6 trillion this year, and could reach US$
10.5 trillion annually by 2025, according to Cyber security ventures, a global
researcher in cybercrime.
https://www.independent.co.ug/dpp-bou-call-for-tougher-cyber-criminal-laws/
PRISONS
SUBMITS NAMES OF 682 CONVICTS TO THE PRESIDENT FOR PARDON
Uganda
Prisons Services has submitted 682 names of convicted inmates to the Attorney
General to benefit from the presidential pardon. Addressing journalists at the
police headquarters Naguru, the Uganda Prison Services Spokesperson Frank Baine
says the move is aimed at decongesting prison facilities across the country.
“Every
July, we submit the names we deem fit for pardon and it is the discretion of
the committee to look through and forward them for the presidential pardon or
sit on the list and the year passes without the pardon,” said Baine.
https://www.independent.co.ug/prisons-submits-names-of-682-convicts-to-the-president-for-pardon/
PRESIDENT
MUSEVENI ASSENTS TO LAW ON HUMAN SACRIFICE
Former
Ayivu County Member of Parliament Benard Atiku says the Prevention and
Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act, 2021 will go a long way in curbing human
sacrifice by putting in place punitive measures for culprits. The Bill was
assented to by President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday, 14 July 2021.
Atiku
says that the new law will be resident under the Ministry of Gender, Labor and
Social Development, and that of Justice and Constitutional Affairs as the
implementers, to make it part of the sentencing legal instruments of Uganda.
https://www.independent.co.ug/president-museveni-assents-to-law-on-human-sacrifice/
CONCLUSION
The
Human Rights Centre Uganda recognizes that the government decided to lift the
total lockdown that was instituted to control the spread of Covid-19; this
however does not mean that corona virus has ceased to exist and therefore, we
caution and call upon fellow Ugandans and HRDs to keep observing the Standard
Operating Procedures so that we can keep safe and alive.
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