HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO. 24 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 JULY 4 TO 10, 2022

Dear reader,

Welcome to a new week and this week’s edition of our weekly updates compiled from last week.

In this week’s edition, let’s begin by congratulating Dr. Alice J Edward upon her appointment as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment during the 50^th Human Rights Council session.

HRCU and HRDs at large look forward to working closely with Dr. Alice J Edwards in advancing fundamental rights and freedoms, especially the right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Source and details: https://twitter.com/UN_HRC/status/1545421757619879938

COVID-19 UPDATES

Results of COVID-19 tests done on 8 July 2022 confirm 69 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 168,360. The breakdown of the new cases is: 69 Alerts and Contacts: Kampala (39), Wakiso (13), Jinja (10), Mbarara (1), Mpigi (1), Rubirizi (1), Arua (1), Kibuku (1) Mbale (1) Kikuube (1)

Source: https://twitter.com/MinofHealthUG

KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

ARTS VS SCIENCE SALARIES AND THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION: STRIKING TEACHERS RETURN TO CLASS AMID LOW MORALE

Government teachers, who laid down their tools last month over alleged discriminatory salary increment on July 5, 2022 turned up in big numbers, despite exhibiting low morale for teaching. Government Arts secondary teachers and primary school teachers downed their tools on June 15, protesting government’s proposed salary increment, which favors secondary school Science teachers and other scientists.  

After meeting President Museveni on Monday, the leaders of Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) called off the strike and asked their members to return to class by today.

Pupils of  Main Street Primary School attend class in Jinja City. Government is proposing that teachers in the private schools earn a uniform salary like their counterparts on the government payroll. PHOTO / DENIS EDEMA

Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/striking-teachers-return-to-class-amid-low-morale-3870620

KISORO SCHOOL HEAD TEACHER JAILED FOR 17 YEARS FOR DEFILING 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL

Wilson Habiyakale,39, the head teacher of Chuho primary school in Kisoro district, western Uganda earned himself 17 years and nine months in jail after pleading guilty to aggravated defilement.

Habiyakale appeared before Justice Moses Kawumi Kazibwe in Kabale High court Monday, who had handed him the sentence on his own plea of guilt.

Justice Kazibwe noted that at his age, and the fact that he was a head teacher, the convict should have protected the minor placed under his care. According to Kawumi, Habiyakare deserved an 18-year jail sentence, but he reduced it by three months that he spent on remand since March. Trouble for Habiyakare started on February 28 this year, when he was caught red handed defiling his 14-year-old victim and primary seven pupil at the school.

The prosecution led by Grace Ntege Nabagala asked the court to hand Habiyakare a heavy sentence because he committed a sexual act with a minor instead of protecting her.   Nabagala also said that Habiyakare failed to fulfill his duty as a head teacher to protect the girl child (pupil) when he chose to defile her.

Wilson Habiyakale

Source:https://observer.ug/news/headlines/74221-kisoro-school-head-teacher-jailed-for-17-years-for-defiling-14-year-old-girl

PROMOTING ACCESS TO JUSTICE: 85 RECENTLY APPOINTED JUDICIAL OFFICERS SWORN IN

The Chief Justice Alfonse Owinyi Dollo called on the sworn in 85 acting grade one  and chief Magistrates to guard the independence of the Judiciary and serve equitable justice to the people of Uganda. These took their oaths on July 5 in a ceremony held at the High Court Headquarters in Kampala.

The Chief Justice who presided over the said ceremony cautioned the Magistrates against taking bribes in the course of their work and favouring some cases against others. He further warned the Magistrates against laziness stating that there will be routine monitoring in which the principle Judge will be tasked to explain why a case stays without being disposed off for  period of two years and it will soon move to six months.

The exercise saw one Acting Assistant Registrar, 13 Acting Chief Magistrates, three Acting Principal Magistrates Grade One, 16 Senior Magistrates Grade one and 52 Magistrates Grade One swear in. This was the second lot of lower bench Judicial Officers to be appointed after the enactment of the Administration of the Judiciary Act, 2020.

Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny Dollo Image: Judiciary Uganda

Source:https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/2022-07-05-85-recently-appointed-judicial-officers-sworn-in/

UNLAWFUL DETENTION: CMI ORDERED TO RELEASE GOVT MEDIA CENTRE STAFF

The Uganda Human Rights Commission ordered the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) to immediately and unconditionally release a staff of the Uganda Media Centre who has been held in incommunicado for the last two months. 

Mr Obed Katureebe was on May 2 picked up by security agents from his home and has never been seen ever since. Initially, the security said his arrest and eventual custody was for his “own security”.

“Whereas Obed Katureebe has been in your custody since May 2, 2022, and whereas the Commission is satisfied that the said person is being unlawfully detained and/or restricted, this is to direct you to cause the immediate release of the said Obed Katureebe from your custody, failure of which you may be liable for the contempt under Article 53(1) (d) of the Constitution,” the Commission’s directive stated in part.

Obed Katureebe

Source:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/cmi-ordered-to-release-govt-media-centre-staff-3869356 

FINANCE MINISTRY FIRES OVER 100 ACCOUNTING OFFICERS

The Ministry of finance has fired over 100 local government accounting officers over failure to submit their respective approved budget details on time. In a July 7 letter to the Permanent Secretary at the ministry of local government, the Finance ministry permanent secretary Ramathan Ggoobi said only 66 of the 176 local government officers had submitted their approved budget estimates reports for Finance Year2022/23 on the Programme Based System.

Ggoobi said because of such breaches, the ministry cannot release quarter one expenditure limits hence delaying the commencement of the budget execution. He further warned that this will delay service delivery including payment of salaries.

Source: https://www.kfm.co.ug/news/finance-ministry-fires-over-100-accounting-officers.html

INTERNATIONAL UPDATE

SRI LANKA PROTESTS: SRI LANKA: PRESIDENT CONFIRMS RESIGNATION, PM'S OFFICE SAYS

Sri Lanka's beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa confirmed his resignation, said the prime minister's office, after protesters stormed both leaders' official residences. Demonstrators were still occupying the presidential palace and prime ministerial residence and have refused to leave until the leaders step down.

The parliament speaker said on Saturday 9 July the president would resign on 13 July. On Monday 11 July, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office said in a statement it had been officially informed by Mr Rajapaksa that he would step down on Wednesday. However, there has been no direct word from Mr Rajapaksa.

Under Sri Lanka's constitution, his resignation can only formally be accepted when he resigns by letter to the parliament speaker - which has yet to happen.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62117763

CONCLUDING REMARK

HRCU is committed to chiefly contributing to the protection and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms including those of human rights defenders.

HRCU provides free Legal Aid services which you can receive by calling on 0800 333 000 Toll-Free.

 We thank you for reading and wish you a happy new week.