HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.7 OF 2022
THE HUMAN RIGHTS
CENTRE UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON COVID-19
AND KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIROMENT OF HRDS IN
UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 21ST
TO 27ST FEBRUARY 2022
Welcome
to a new week which leads us into March, 2022!
We
are pleased to share with you some of issues that emerged from last week (21st
to 27th February, 2022) within the working environment of HRDs in
Uganda. Monitoring, documenting, assessment and reporting of the situation of HRDs
in one way or another supplements and contributes to the improvement of their
working environment.
In
the course of last week, the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights started
hearings to investigate allegations of
torture and enforced disappearances in the country. https://www.newvision.co.ug/articledetails/127838/parliament-starts-probe-into-allegations-of-t
The
Rt. Hon. Prime minister of Uganda Ms. Robinah Nabbanja conducted a pre- visit
for the launching of the Parish Development Model (PDM) - a government
programme aimed at improving livelihoods and uplifting subsistence
households out of poverty. https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/nabbanja-rallies-bukedi-to-embrace-parish-model-3723734
Award-winning Ugandan author, Kakwenza
Rukirabashaija who fled the country after being charged with insulting
President Yoweri Museveni and his son arrived in Germany to seek medical
treatment after being "tortured" in jail https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/tortured-author-kakwenza-arrives-in-germany-3726286.
Masaka Grade One Magistrate Christine Nantege on Tuesday 22nd
February 2022 further remanded Members of Parliament Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye
West) and Muhammad Ssegirinya (Kawempe North) until 10th March, 2022 noting
that investigations into their case are still incomplete https://www.watchdoguganda.com/news/20220222/130740/here-is-why-court-has-further-remanded-mps-ssegirinya-ssewanyana.html
COVID-19 UPDATES
Results of COVID-19 tests done
on 25 February 2022 confirm 34 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are
163,250. The breakdown of the new cases is: 34 Alerts and Contacts;
Kibuku (6), Isingiro (5), Butaleja (2), Kampala (10), Mbale (2), Bulambuli (2),
Luweero (1), Hoima (1), Gulu (1), Iganga (1), Jinja (1) Kasese (1), Amuru (1)
Source:
https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG
LEGISLATION: PUBLIC
HEALTH (AMMENDMENT) ACT, 2021: MINISTER ACENG DEFENDS
ANTI-VAXXERS BILL BEFORE HEALTH COMMITTEE
The
Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng defended the amendment to the Public
Health Act saying that it is important to revise the penalties in the law and
also consider emerging diseases like COVID-19, Ebola and others. Dr. Aceng appeared before Parliament’s
Committee on Health which started considering the Public Health (Amendment)
Bill, 2021 tabled before the House early this month.
Under
the new Bill, persons who fail to comply with a requirement for vaccination
will be fined up to four million Shillings or a prison sentence of up to six
months.
Minister Aceng was
appearing before the Parliament Committee on Health
Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/minister-aceng-defends-anti-vaxxers-bill-before-health-committee
/
COMBATING
COVID-19 IN AFRICA: WHO’S GRANT OF MRNA
VACCINE TECHNOLOGY TO AFRICAN COUNTRIES SUPPORTS FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19
The
WHO announced that Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia will
be part of a project aimed to enable low-and middle-income countries to manufacture
mRNA vaccines in line with international standards. The project also intends to
reduce Africa’s reliance on vaccine manufacturers outside the continent.
The
World Health Organization (WHO)’s approval to grant six African countries the
technology to manufacture mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines would
boost international efforts to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, Egyptian experts
and officials said.
A lab worker in the mRNA
technology transfer hub in South Africa, one of the countries selected to establish
mRNA vaccine production
RESPONSE
TO COVID-19: US INJECTS SHS94B IN UGANDA’S COVID FIGHT
President Museveni called on the Ministry of Health
to increase efforts to ensure 22 million Ugandans are fully-vaccinated against Covid-19
to guarantee the recovery of the economy.
The President made the remarks at a meeting with US
ambassador to Uganda Natalie Brown during which she announced a USA financial
support of $27million (Shs94b) to Uganda’s vaccination efforts.
President Museveni meets US Ambassador to Uganda
Natalie Brown at State House Entebbe on February 23, 2022. PHOTO/Courtesy of
state house
Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/us-injects-shs94b-in-uganda-s-covid-fight-3728674
KEY EMERGING ISSUES
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM
FROM TORTURE: PARLIAMENT STARTS PROBE INTO
ALLEGATIONS OF TORTURE, ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES
Parliament on Thursday 24th February 2022,
through the Committee on Human Rights, started hearings to investigate
allegations of torture and enforced disappearances in the country. Recently,
the National Unity Platform (NUP) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) parties
accused security forces of torturing their members.
Security agencies of Police and Prisons will present
lists of complainants against human rights violations before the Parliament's
Human Rights Committee.
Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) is also to
present its list of complainants according to the Committee Chairperson, Fox
Odoi-Oywelowo, MP West Budama North.
Parliament's
human rights committee chairperson Fox Odoi-Oywelowo. File photo
Source: https://www.newvision.co.ug/articledetails/127838/parliament-starts-probe-into-allegations-of-t
A CALL FOR PROTECTION OF HRDs: MY
LIFE IS IN DANGER, RIGHTS BOSS TELLS PARLIAMENT
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) chairperson,
Ms. Mariam Wangadya, told Parliament that her life is being threatened by a
section of Ugandans and hence obstructing her from effectively delivering on
her mandate. As she appeared before the Committee on Human Rights, Ms. Wangadya
said she was being bullied by a section of Ugandans that she didn’t disclose.
As a follow-up, the MPs demanded that Ms. Wangadya
provides details of the people threatening her, a response she didn’t provide.
“I want to say that I have a tough skin but at the end of the day, I am
human. Indeed, there comes a time when I am scared. As to who bullies me, I am
so scared that I cannot even mention the people who bully me,” Ms.
Wangadya said.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)
chairperson, Ms Mariam Wangadya
ACCESS TO JUSTICE: FORMER SOLDIER
RELEASED AFTER SPENDING 22 YEARS ON REMAND FOR MURDER
A former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) child
soldier accused of murder was released after spending 22 years on remand
without trial.
Alex Twinomugisha was arrested on October 19, 1999 on allegations of killing
three Makerere University students
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped
the charges against him at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court days after the
Kampala High Court Judge Musa Ssekaana on February 9, 2022 gave the state an
ultimatum of two weeks to suspend all other business and ensure that officials
involved in handling the 22-year-old criminal case that has never been heard is
resurrected.
PROTECTION OF
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS: POLICE
RESCUES 19 CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
A
total of 19 children were rescued from a home care in Buwaya Kasanje, Wakiso
district in a terrible state after being sexually exploited and tortured. According
to Police, the children who were aged between three and 19 years were housed in
a home care known as Shalamo Kena which has been financed by American Citizen
identified as Christina Martineze.
Twine
revealed that upon rescuing the 19 children it was established some of them
were sexually exploited and some girls who had conceived were forced to abort.
The CID spokesperson also revealed that some of the children had scars and
wounds which indicate that they had been tortured.
Charles
Twine the CID spokesperson. Image: Robert Segawa
KEY
TAKE AWAYS OF THE WEEK
1. With availability of over 36 million
doses of different COVID-19 vaccines it remains important for us to embrace vaccination.
The Ministry of Health may also intensify efforts in the vaccination drive by
distributing vaccines to all parts of the country, provide sufficient
information about the safety of the vaccines and run colossal awareness
campaigns.
2. Keeping children safe from potential
exploitation including that of sexual nature is a role for all of us and it
should be a priority to act against these abuses by ensuring that the victims
are provided with the support and protection they need and also strongly
holding the perpetrators accountable. The 1995 Constitution of the Republic of
Uganda under Article 34 recognizes
the rights of children and specifically provides for the right to protection
from economic and social exploitation.
3. While HRDs continue to carry out
their work, they face multiple challenges and coercion. HRDs play an
immeasurable role in ensuring and contributing to the promotion and protection
of human rights in society through speaking up for the vulnerable, advocating
for a better environment and bringing the public’s attention to abuses and violations of
human rights. Hence its essential that HRDs are protected at all times so that
they can effectively deliver.
Please
share with us (HRCU) any comments, questions and/or feedback in this regard.
Wishing
you a fruitful week and new month.
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