HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.8 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 28TH FEBRUARY
TO 6TH MARCH, 2022
Dear Reader,
Hopefully you are enjoying the month
of March, 2022! Well
done in all.
On
1st March, 2022, the Zero Discrimination Day was commemorated under
the theme “Remove Laws that Harm, Create Laws that Empower” in honor and
celebration of every person’s right to enjoy their rights and live a fulfilled
life https://www.unaids.org/en/zero-discrimination-day
The Judiciary officially launched the
Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) to the public,
a system that will allow Court users to file cases remotely
without necessarily going to Court https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/latest/2022-03-01-judiciary-launches-on-line-case-management-system-ecmmis/
COVID-19
UPDATES
Results of COVID-19 tests done
on 2 March 2022 confirm 22 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases is 163,338.
The breakdown of the new cases is: 22 Alerts and Contacts; Kampala (12), Jinja
(4), Wakiso (2), Pakwach (1), Bukwo (1), Hoima (1), Kasese (1).
Source: https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG
COVID-19 TRANSMISSION: RUSSIA-UKRAINE
CONFLICT COULD INCREASE LARGE NUMBERS OF SEVERE COVID-19 DISEASE: WHO
The
World Health Organization (WHO) warned on 2nd February 2022 that the
ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to drive COVID-19 transmission ever
higher and in turn increase the risk of large numbers of people developing
severe disease.
WHO
chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Source and details: https://www.independent.co.ug/russia-ukraine-conflict-could-increase-large-numbers-of-severe-covid-19-disease-who/
COVID-19 IN PRISONS: UGANDA
PRISONS LIFTS COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
Prisons authorities lifted the COVID19 restrictions
that were imposed on all prisons centers across the country during the COVID-19
pandemic.
According to Frank Baine, the Prisons spokesperson,
all imposed restrictions were lifted to allow normal operations of the Prisons
across the country following the full reopening of the economy and among them
is allowing the public visit inmates.
Frank
Baine, the Prisons spokesperson
Source: https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/latest/2022-03-01-uganda-prisons-lifts-covid19-restrictions/
COVID-19
VACCINES: 14 MILLION COVID-19 DOSES AT RISK OF EXPIRY DUE TO LOW
UPTAKE
The Ministry of Health statistics indicated that
only around 54,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines are being administered per day, a
rate that would leave close to 14 million doses of vaccines which are due to
expire in May, unutilized.
The vaccines are due to expire by May according to
National Medical Stores (NMS). The computation excluded the recently received
500,000 doses of vaccines from the United Kingdom or any other vaccines
received after February 15.
A
doctor administers a Covid-19 vaccine at the Ministry of Health headquarters in
Kampala last year . PHOTO / ABUBAKER LUBOWA
LEGISLATION: PUBLIC HEALTH (AMMENDMENT) BILL, 2021: LAWYERS OPPOSE PUNISHMENT OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE
The
Uganda Law Society opposed the Shs4 million fine that the government wants to
impose on all individuals who refuse to be vaccinated.
One
of the advocates that represented the society Mbabazi Emeseti said that the
proposed punishments are punitive and they need to be reviewed. Mbabazi also
noted that mandatory vaccination or revaccination should be done with consent
to ensure that people’s rights are not violated.
Source:
https://www.kfm.co.ug/health/lawyers-oppose-punishment-of-unvaccinated-people.html
KEY EMERGING ISSUES
COMPENSATING TORTURE VICTIMS: KAWEESI MURDER: TORTURED KAMWENGE MAYOR AWARDED SHS1.4BN IN COMPENSATION
The
Kamwenge town Godfrey Byamukama who was in 2017 tortured by Police after being
accused of participation in the gruesome murder of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi
was awarded shs1.4 billion in compensation for the torture.
Former Kamwenge Mayor Godfrey Byamukama displays the torture wounds
covered with bandage.
Byamukama , who had come to Kampala for his private
business was arrested by operatives of the Police Flying Squad, bundled into a
waiting drone van and detained at Nalufenya police station which by then had
been christened as a torture chamber due to accounts by a number of suspects
detained at the facility.
Source: Kaweesi
murder: Tortured Kamwenge mayor awarded shs1.4bn in compensation - Nile Post
ACTION AGAINST ERRANT OFFICERS: POLICE TO PUNISH OFFICERS INVOLVED
IN THE ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Police Management considered to set tough
punishments for its own police officers who are involved in human rights
violation cases where government sued in courts and a lot of money is lost in
form of court awards to the victims.
Speaking during the opening of a workshop for
Regional Police Commanders and officers from specialized units on how to handle
civil cases against the force at Police headquarters Naguru, the Police
Director in charge of Human Rights and Legal Services, AIGP Erasmus Twaruhukwa
revealed that at least 10 cases are taken to court against the Uganda Police
Force over violation of human rights yet the burden for the force to defend
itself in civil matters has kept going up.
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM
FROM TORTURE: CITY POLICE TORTURE STUDENT TO DEATH
A police officer, two football coaches and a female
resident of Kasubi in Kampala were reportedly on the run after a student
accused of theft was allegedly tortured to death at a police post. The circumstances
of the killing of 14-year-old Hussein Kakumba, which was a matter of
investigation by Kampala Metropolitan Police, was as heart-breaking as the
reason for him being convinced to leave home, according to witnesses and
detectives.
“The Officer-in-Charge of Nakyekolede, Cpl. Amuge Micheal, allegedly
started assaulting the suspect upon arrest for extraction of information on the
whereabouts of the money suspected to be stolen by him,” Mr Luke
Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala Metropolitan spokesperson, noted in a
statement.
Mr Hussein Kakumba, the father of the deceased Hussein Kakumba(inset), at his home in Gganda, Kampala on February 27, 2022. PHOTO BENSON TUMUSIIME
Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/city-police-torture-student-to-death-3732036
PROMOTING ACCESS TO JUSTICE: JUDICIARY LAUNCHES ONLINE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ECMMIS)
The Judiciary officially launched the Electronic Court
Case Management Information system (ECCMIS) to the public. The system that
was launched by the Chief Justice Alfonse Owinyi Dollo at the High court
Headquarters in Kampala will enable Court users to file cases remotely without necessarily
coming to Court.
The electronic system is meant to promote access to
Justice in a timely manner and data that will be entered will be safe and
secure to avoid case files from getting lost.
Justice Frederick Engonda Ntende, the chairperson of
the steering committee said that currently, the system will operate in seven
courts of law. It will be implemented by the Supreme Court, Court of
Appeal, Commercial Court, Criminal Court, Civil Court and the Mengo Chief
Magistrate Court.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE
CONFLICT: MULTICHOICE CUTS RUSSIAN NEWS CHANNEL ACROSS AFRICA
AFTER EU SANCTIONS
South African satellite broadcaster Multichoice cut
Russia's RT news channel from its pan-African DStv service, saying that EU
sanctions had forced the move.
"Russia Today (Channel 407) shall not be
carried on the DSTV platform until further notice," Multichoice said in a
statement.
"Sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU led to
the global distributor ceasing to provide the broadcast feed to all
suppliers."
MultiChoice
is no longer getting distribution of RT (channel 407 on DStv) from its European
feed suppliers. PHOTO | COURTESY
KEY TAKE AWAYS OF THE WEEK:
- Vaccination against COVID-19 remains a key drive in fighting the global pandemic hence making it important for the Ministry of Health to step up the massive vaccination campaigns both at regional and district level to help in reducing the low vaccination uptake rates. The public also ought to continue adhering to the set preventive measures of washing hands, sanitizing, wearing a face mask and keeping a social distance.
- Human rights defenders are called upon to continue advocating against all the existing forms of discrimination based on gender, age, origin, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, geographical location or disability.
- The launching of the Electronic Court Case Management Information system (ECCMIS) to the public by the judiciary is a stride into promoting access to justice by all citizens at any time and also promoting fundamental human rights and freedoms that include the right to a fair hearing under Article 28 of the 1995 Uganda Constitution. In addition, the use of E-filling will ensure that citizen’s information is secure and easily accessible at any moment. This will more still, reduce on cases of corruption and extortion from citizens while seeking justice in courts of law.
- Human rights violations by individual state actors are highly condemned and it’s on this note that actors like the Uganda Police Force should intensify the application of the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) while carrying out their operations. Furthermore, according to Section 10 of the Human Rights (Enforcement) Act, 2019, a public officer who, individually or in association with others, violates or participates in the violation of a person's rights or freedoms shall be held personally liable for the violation notwithstanding the state being vicariously liable for his or her actions.
Thank you for reading and sharing you feedback with us!
Wishing
you fruitful week.
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