HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.21 OF 2022
THE HUMAN
RIGHTS CENTRE UGANDA (HRCU)
WEEKLY
UPDATE ON COVID-19 AND KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING
ENVIRONMENT OF HRDS IN UGANDA
THE WEEK
OF 13TH TO 19TH JUNE, 2022
Dear reader,
Welcome to
a new week!
HRCU is
delighted to share with you the weekly update highlighting key issues/concerns
compiled from last week on the
environment within which human rights defenders (HRDs) operate in Uganda.
We welcome
back all civil society organizations’ representatives and human rights
defenders from the celebrations to mark the Day of the African Child which took
place on June 16, 2022. The Day of the African Child is observed in commemoration
of the June 16, 1975 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa, where students
who marched protesting against apartheid-inspired education were relentlessly
murdered. The commemoration therefore calls for serious commitment and
interventions from HRDs and member states of the African Union (AU) to address
challenges faced by children on the continent.
On June 13 2022,
HRCU joined other actors and partners to attend and participate in Uganda
Human Rights Commission’s (UHRC) launch of its 24th Annual Report on
the State of Human Rights and Freedoms in Uganda, 2021, as required by law
under Article 52(2) of the 1995 Uganda Constitution.
A copy of the report can be downloaded via the link
below: https://www.scribd.com/document/578154540/UHRC-24th-Annual-Report#download
On June 14, 2022, the Uganda Government
through Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development led by its
Minister Hon. Matia Kasaija, read to the nation the National Budget for the
2022/2023 financial year.
You may
access and download the full budget speech via the link below: https://www.finance.go.ug/press/budget-speech-fy-202223
COVID-19 UPDATES
Results of COVID-19 tests done on 17 June 2022
confirm 111 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 166,920. The
breakdown of the new cases is: 111 Alerts and Contacts: Kampala (67), Mbarara
(33), Rubirizi (7), Kakumiro (1), Wakiso (1), Jinja (1), Kiruhura (1).
Source: https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG
COVID VACCINATION BANNED IN SCHOOLS
The
government banned Covid-19 vaccination in all schools across the country and
advised parents who are interested in vaccinating their children to take them
to hospitals and other designated centres.
Under the
new government directive, no child should be vaccinated while at school and no
school should be turned into vaccination centre. The head teachers in both
public and private schools have also been warned against illegal COVID-19
vaccination mandates.
A health worker vaccinates a member of the
public against Covid at KCCA headquarters in December last year. PHOTO/ISAAC
KASAMANI
Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/covid-vaccination-banned-in-schools-3849302
COVID-19 VACCINE DEATHS STIR RAGE
Researchers
in Britain are calling on the government to halt the use of Covid-19 vaccines
immediately after discovering toxic side effects. Evidence is piling up that
raises doubts about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. A new
report written by British doctors calls for a complete stop to the use of
COVID-19 vaccines on humans because they are unsafe.
The
doctors say that after examining official public health records, they have
found several reported side effects of the vaccine including; bleeding and
clotting, unexpected immune reactions, unusual pain reactions, neurological
reactions, loss of sight, hearing, speech or smell, or adverse reactions
affecting pregnancy including miscarriage. Researchers explained that the
products in the vaccine are toxic to humans and called for an immediate halt to
the vaccination program.
They
demanded a full investigation into these harmful effects. According to the
Vaers website, a USA government site that tracks adverse reactions to vaccines,
nearly 6,000 people have died as a result of taking this vaccine.
Source: https://observer.ug/news/headlines/73983-covid-19-vaccine-deaths-stir-rage
KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
ECONOMIC RIGHTS: NO NEW TAXES IN
NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR – KASAIJA
No new
taxes will be introduced in Financial Year 2022/23, finance minister
Matia Kasaija reechoed, arguing that government will achieve revenue targets by
improving the efficiency in tax collection and enhancing compliance to tax
laws. According to him, the capacity of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) will
be enhanced by recruiting and training staff, deploying appropriate equipment
and ICT to enforce tax laws.
“The income tax Act has been amended to
streamline the rental income tax regime for individuals and non-individuals by
introducing a zero rental income tax rate for individuals that earn annual
rental income not exceeding Shs.2,820,000 and a rate of
12 percent of rental income exceeding that amount,”Mr. Kasaija said.
For rental
business, the minister said Income Tax Act has been amended to introduce a 30
percent rental income tax rate on rental income with expenses capped to 50
percent for each year of income.
Finance Minister MatiaKasaija arrives at
Kololo ceremonial grounds in Kampala for national budget reading on June 14,
2022. PHOTO/ DAVID LUBOWA
Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/no-new-taxes-in-next-financial-year-kasaija-3848172
A CALL FOR ACTION TO END CHILD
MARRIAGE: JUSTICE OKALANY WANTS CHILD MARRIAGE CRIMINALIZED
The
judiciary called for a law that will criminalize child marriage by
punishing parents who marry off their under aged girls. While speaking at the
national policy dialogue on harmful practices against children as part of celebrations
to mark the international day of the African Child, the high court judge
Suzan Okalany said that right now child marriage and forced marriage are
not directly criminalized.
“If a parent decides to give away her
child even if she is under 18 years this is not criminal”. Okalany said.
The call
by the judiciary came after the Forum for African Women Educationalists released
a report indicating that 2.8 percent of young girls who got married during
Covid19 lockdown were encouraged or pressured by their parents or caregivers on
the fact that their marriage would help the family receive money and other
goods.
Justice Suzan Okalany Image: Alice
Lubwama
Source: https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/latest/2022-06-15-justice-okalany-wants-child-marriage-criminalized/
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BEGINS HEARING
PETITION AGAINST HIV PREVENTION AND CONTROL ACT, 2015
The
Constitutional Court in Kampala on Tuesday, June 7 started hearing the
petition against the HIV Prevention and Control Act, 2015 after six years of
filing.
The law
passed in 2014 was in 2016 challenged by the Uganda Network on Law, Ethics and
HIV/AIDS (UGANET) together with Prof. Ben Twinomugisha of School of Law,
Makerere and Lilian Mworeko Executive Director of International Community of
Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA) on behalf of the people living
with HIV and HIV Law coalition.
Speaking
to the press on Tuesday at Uganda Museum after the first hearing of the
petition, UGANET’s Head, Advocacy and Strategic Litigation, Owomugisha
Immaculate said as HIV Law advocates, they strongly challenged the impugned Act
since its passing in 2014.
According
to her, The Act in its current form puts stringent punishments for HIV
nondisclosure, exposure, and transmission, which the community of people living
with HIV and CSO HIV law coalition find unfair and if not addressed by the
court, will hinder people from accessing HIV related services
U.S. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown at a recent Uganda
HIV/AIDS Candlelight Memorial Commemoration event. Many in the HIV/AIDS
sector feel the Act in its current form puts stringent punishments for HIV
nondisclosure, exposure, and transmission is unfair
THE RIGHT TO APPLY FOR BAIL: BESIGYE
DENIED BAIL, REMANDED 14 MORE DAYS FOR PROTESTING HIGH COMMODITY PRICES
Former
presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye and political activist Samuel Lubega Makaku
were further remanded to Luzira Prison until July 1, 2022 following their
arrest on June 14 as they protested in downtown Kampala against government
inaction to cushion vulnerable Ugandans against skyrocketing commodity prices
in the country.
Buganda
Road Court magistrate, Asuman Muhumuza on Friday June 17, 2022 denied Dr. Besigye
and Mukaku bail arguing that there’s no guarantee that the two will not be
re-arrested on the same charges or other offences.
Reacting
to the magistrate’s decision, Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr. Erias Lukwago who’s Dr. Besigye
and Mukaku’s lead lawyer said they will appeal against the court ruling.
Former presidential candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye
and political activist Samuel Lubega Makaku in the dock at Buganda Road Court
during hearing of their bail application on June 17, 2022. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER
LUBOWA
THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY: CHURCH,
POLICE CLASH OVER LAND
All Saints
Archdeaconry, West Ankole Diocese of the Church of Uganda and the police
in Bushenyi District are embroiled in a land wrangle.
On Tuesday
June 14, 2022, the All Saints Archdeaconry leader, Rev Bethel Namara, said: “We are protesting the police’s action. We
woke up only to find boundary markstones almost touching the altar.” He
added: “They (police) never consulted us
on what they were going to do, the church has its land title which we acquired
in 2017.”
The Rev.
Namara said they gave the police part of the land following a request from the
Force. He added that they want to use the land the police have allegedly
encroached on to establish income-generating activities.
In 2020,
the West Ankole Diocese under which the church falls, through SOCIIS PATH
Advocates petitioned the chairperson of the Uganda Land Commission over the
matter.
The disputed land in Bushenyi District.
PHOTO / MILTONBANDIHO
Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/church-police-clash-over-land-3850446
REGIONAL UPDATE
REGIONAL
PEACE AND STABILTY: M23 CLASH: DRC SUSPENDS BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH
RWANDA
The Democratic Republic of Congo was
reportedly suspending all agreements with Rwanda, which it accuses of
supporting the M23 rebels, even though Kigali denies the charge. After a meeting
which ended late in the night on Wednesday, June 15, Patrick Muyaya, the
government spokesman, announced several resolutions by President Félix
Tshisekedi and the High Council of Defence.
The aim was to control the value
chain from extraction by Sakima and refining by Dither in Rwanda. The two
neighboring countries also had an agreement on the prevention of tax evasion
and double taxation and another on the promotion and protection of investments.
DR Congo President
Felix Tshisekedi. PHOTO | AFP
CONCLUDING
REMARKS
1. As cases of COVID-19 are reported to
be rising, we are all encouraged to continue following the set standard
operating procedures that include;
washing hands with soap or use a sanitizer, wearing a face mask while in public
and avoiding crowded places.
2. With the availability of a range of laws
such as Children (Amendment) Act, 2016 as provided under Article 34 of the 1995 Constitution
of the Republic of Uganda in relation to protection of children, different forms of abuses against children
such as child marriage continue to be witnessed. Such acts and practices undermine the
enjoyment of fundamental child rights such as the right to education, the right
of the child to live with his or her parents among others and further expose children
to risks such as teenage pregnancy. We must all act together and enhance our
advocacy strategies towards putting an end to child marriage.
3. In the enjoyment of rights and freedoms,
it’s always very pivotal to ensure that laws passed observe and consider human
rights concerns with specificity to the human rights based approach (HRBA).
We thank you for reading and wish
you a happy new week.
Did you know that HRCU has a Legal
Aid section ready to assist you in case of any legal question? Feel free to
reach us via our Toll free line 0800-333-000.
Great work team, Thank You for updating us always
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