HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.10 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 14^TH TO 20^TH MARCH, 2022

Welcome to a new week!

Human rights defenders continue to play a big role in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. They thus deserve the highest level of respect, recognition and protection.

HRCU continues to scan through the working environment of human rights defenders and to document and report of the same. It is the continued role of HRDs to read through the weekly update and work towards improving the environment in which they operate.

Looking at the COVID-19 situation;

COVID-19 UPDATES

Results of COVID-19 tests done on 18 March 2022 confirm 53 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 163,688. The breakdown of the new cases is: 53 Alerts and Contacts: Jinja (33), Kampala (16), Luwero (1), Wakiso (2), Amuru (1).

Source: https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG

NEW COVID-19 VARIANT:”DELTACRON” HAS INDEED COME

According to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), there are “reliable evidences” showing that the recombinant form of the Delta and Omicron variants has emerged.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed at a press conference recently that this recombinant virus has been detected in countries such as France, the Netherlands and Denmark.

“Deltacron,” recombinant form of the Delta and Omicron variants has emerged

Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/deltacron-has-indeed-come/  

MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION: GOVT RESUMES MASS COVID-19 VACCINATION

The Ministry of Health said Ugandans are responding well to the renewed mass Covid-19 vaccination. The exercise are taking place in Acholi, Ankole, Bunyoro, Karamoja, Kigezi and Tooro sub-regions where mass vaccination was conducted last year. It will run from March 15 to March 24.

A health worker administers Covid-19 jabs to people turned up at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala for the mass vaccination exercise on May 27, 2021. PHOTO/RACHEL MABALA

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-resumes-mass-covid-19-vaccination-3751196  

COVID-19 RESPONSE: CHINA ‘LOCKS DOWN’ AS COVID-19 CASES SHOOT UP

China took strict and swift measures to stem new COVID-19 infections that emerged in multiple regions recently. The Chinese mainland on 12^th March 2022, reported 1,807 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in 19 provincial-level regions, the National Health Commission (NHC) said.

As part of the swift COVID-19 responses, China added antigen detection as an option for COVID-19 testing among the public, in efforts to boost the early discovery of COVID-19 cases, the NHC said.

Medical workers are seen at a temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients in Jilin City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, March 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan)

Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/china-locks-down-as-covid-19-cases-shoot-up/

COVID-19 TREATMENT: COVID TREATMENT COST STILL HIGH DESPITE LOW INFECTIONS

As the country registers a drastic decline in new cases of Covid-19 infections, private hospitals said they’d maintain the previous cost of Covid-19 treatment because of high operating costs. 

The operators of the facilities are charging an average of Shs3.5 million per day to treat a critically ill Covid-19 patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) while those with moderate disease pay around Shs1 million per day.

A health worker adjust the oxygen cylinders in the Covid-19 unit at the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital last year. PHOTO/FILE

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/covid-treatment-cost-still-high-despite-low-infections-3749396

KEY EMERGING ISSUES WITHIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDING ENVIRONMENT

FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT: SPEAKER JACOB OULANYAH DIES IN SEATTLE

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob L'Okori Oulanyah, died on Sunday March 20, 2022. This was announced by President Museveni in a tweet said on Sunday that he got news about Oulanyah’s death at 10.30am.

“Countrymen and Countrywomen. It is with a lot of sadness that I announce the death of the Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah, the Speaker of Parliament. I got information of this sad news at 10.30am, East African time from people that have been with him and the doctor that was caring for him in the intensive care unit. He was a good Cadre. I delayed the announcement so that his children would be informed first,” Mr. Museveni said.

 
Deceased: Speaker Jacob Oulanyah. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER LUBOWA

HEALTH WASTCH: INFLUENZA TYPE-A AND B HITS WAKISO SCHOOLS

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that the spike in cases of flu-like symptoms amongst learners in most schools is a result of an outbreak of the seasonal Influenza Type-A and Type-B, and not COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health has recently tested one school in Wakiso that reported many COVID like symptoms of  fever, cough, headache, flu and joint pain.

Of the 198 samples collected from 431 students end of last month, 58 samples tested positive for influenza A and 2 tested positive for influenza B. None was positive for COVID-19.

In a press briefing in Kampala on Thursday, State Minister of Education and Sports Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu confirmed they are now promoting the same SOPs to control spread of Influenza Type-A and Type-B in schools just as for COVID-19.

State Minister of Education and Sports Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu. PHOTO UG MEDIA CT

Details at: https://www.independent.co.ug/influenza-type-a-and-b-hits-wakiso-schools/

THE RIGHT TO PERSONAL LIBERTY: MEDIA RIGHTS BODY PETITIONS HIGH COURT TO PRODUCE NINE JOURNALISTS HELD INCOMMUNICADO BY SECURITY FORCES

Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) on Tuesday 15^th March 2022, petitioned the High Court in Kampala seeking orders compelling the Attorney General of Uganda, the Inspector General of Police, the Commandant of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), to produce dead or alive the nine arrested journalists of Alternative Digitalk an online TV operating in Makindye.

Of the nine (9) arrested journalists, two that included Mr. Norman Tumuhimbise, the Chief Executive Officer of Alternative Digitalk online television, and Ms. Farida Bikobere, a television host, were charged for cyber stalking President Museveni.

Source: https://hrnjuganda.org/?p=9384

Also see: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/two-journalists-charged-for-cyber-stalking-museveni-3750882

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND THE RIGHT TO PERSONAL LIBERTY: LAWYERS PETITION COURT SEEKING UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF ALTERNATIVE DIGITALK JOURNALISTS

A group of lawyers filed an application before the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court demanding for the unconditional release of nine presenters of an online television, the Alternative Digitalk who were arrested on 10^th March 2022.

In the application, the lawyers comprised of Eron Kiiza, Nalukoola Luyimbazi, Samuel Wanda and Michael Aboneka said that their clients were arrested on March 10th, 2022 at around 3pm by a mean looking joint security team of police officers and military police officers who were armed with guns.

The presenters were reportedly picked from their office at Kintu Zone, Lukuli Parish in Makindye division and arrested by the joint security agencies.

Alternative Digitalk Journalists. Courtesy photo

Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/lawyers-petition-court-seeking-unconditional-release-of-alternative-digitalk-journalists/

THREAT TO THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION: 18 FIRE OUTBREAKS REGISTERED SINCE SCHOOLS REOPENED

Police's Director of Fire and Rescue AIGP Joseph Mugisa revealed that they have so far registered and responded to 18 fire outbreaks which have occurred in education institutions since schools reopened early this year.

AIGP Mugisa while releasing a mini- report about fire outbreaks that have occurred in learning institutions at police headquarters Naguru revealed that lives of 7 learners were lost in these fires which he said mainly occurred in privately owned schools.

He revealed that investigations into the cause of these fires show that most were set deliberately on school dormitories. 

AIGP Joseph Mugisa Director fire and rescue

Source: https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/latest/2022-03-15-18-fire-outbreaks-registered-since-schools-reopened/  

OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE: STATE ATTORNEY CHARGED WITH RECEIVING SHS1.5M TO CLOSE A DEFILEMENT CASE

Masindi Chief Resident State Attorney from the office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was on 16^th March 2022 arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala and charged with accepting a bribe of Shs1.5m to close a defilement case.

Prosecution stated that Mr Bwiso and Sgt Rehema on March 3 at Masindi Town solicited a gratification of Shs1.5m from the relatives of a suspect in a defilement case in exchange for closure of the case.

Masindi Chief Resident State Attorney Charles Bwiso Bogeres accused of soliciting a gratification of Shs1.5m from the relatives of a suspect in a defilement case in exchange for closure of the case. COURTESY PHOTO/STATE HOUSE ANTI CORRUPTION

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/state-attorney-charged-with-receiving-shs1-5m-to-close-a-defilement-case-3751370  

KEY TAKE AWAYS OF THE WEEK

1.  With reports of a new COVID-19 variant named “DELTACRON”, it’s significant that we continue to be vigilant and cautious, adhere to the safety guidelines of washing hands, wearing a face mask especially while in public, keeping a safe social distance of at least 2 meters and embracing the vaccination drive against Corona Virus Disease.

2.   Freedom of the press is a key element to democracy, good governance and the protection and promotion of human rights. The press acts as a watch dog in investigating and reporting human rights violations by both state and non state actors. The right to protection of personal liberty is a fundamental human right recognized internationally under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights   and nationally under Article 23 of the 1995 Uganda Constitution https://www.statehouse.go.ug/sites/default/files/attachments/Constitution_1995.pdf. The right emphasizes that an individual shall not be detained for more than the mandatory 48 hours without being produced in court for mention of charges. It’s therefore vital that state actors refrain from acts of unlawful arrests or detention and also apply the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) at all time.

3.   School fire outbreaks pose a big threat to the right to life and also impede on the promotion of the right to education. To combat the risk of fire outbreaks, schools should do their best to reduce pupils and other unauthorized personnel access to particularly flammable area unsupervised. Furthermore, schools should be well equipped with fire fighting equipments, train and equip both students and staff with basic fire fighting skills.

4.   Judicial officers (also HRDs) are primary players in administering justice to citizens. They have a core duty to faithfully adhere to the judicial Oath which is provided for under Article 149 of the 1995 Uganda Constitution (as amended) emphasizing that “Every judicial officer shall, before assuming the duties of his or her office take and subscribe the oath of allegiance and the judicial oath..”. Therefore, any obstruction of justice by a judicial officer is not only a violation of human rights but also contrary to the law and hence a call for judicial officers to always observe the law and administer justice diligently without fear or favor.

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