HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO. 33 OF 2022
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE UGANDA
(HRCU)
WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE KEY EMERGING
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF HRDS IN UGANDA
THE WEEK OF 12TH TO
18TH SEPTEMBER, 2022
Dear
Reader,
Welcome
to a new week,
Please
receive and read through some of the key human rights issues that emerged last week.
KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES
THE RIGHT TO A FAIR HEARING: COURT FINALLY
DISMISSES 1 CHARGE AGAINST MP MOHAMMED SSEGIRINYA
The
Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court dismissed charges of inciting violence
against Kawempe North Member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya.
The
charges for which Ssegirinya was arrested on March 22, 2021, were dismissed on
the basis that there was no sufficient evidence that would warrant Ssegirinya
to defend himself against the allegations.
Ssegirinya
had been accused of staging a protest at Mini-Price in Kampala against the
outcome of last year’s presidential election and demanding the release of
National Unity Platform supporters most of whom were at that time detained in
various facilities across the country.
He
allegedly marched through the streets of Kampala holding placards with a list
of names of people who had been arrested during the 2020/2021 campaigns. They
included Councilor James Mubiru and Musician Ali Bukeni also known as Nubian
Li, who was arrested during a campaign rally in Kalangala.
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM
FROM TORTURE: TWO URA EMPLOYEES
AWARDED UGX 400M FOR TORTURE
Two
Uganda Revenue Authority employees were awarded 400 million Shillings as
compensation for the torture they were subjected to while in detention.
The
two employees; Robert Asiimwe Akanga, a Customs Officer and driver Stevens
Kalenga were separately arrested on allegations of stealing USD 410,000 (1.5
billion Shillings) from GAK Express Company Limited on February 28, 2021. They
denied the charges.
Asiimwe
informed the court that he had been assigned by Paul Karatunga, the in-Charge
of the operations Team at URA to lead an operation along Entebbe road on March
3, 2021. On the said day, he met Katatunga at Total-Kajjansi, in the company of
two soldiers; Captain Charles Isingoma and Captain Winnie Kusiima and two
unidentified escorts.
Justice
Lawrence Gidudu relied on the case of lawyer Paul Wanyoto Mugoya and
another where it was held that torture by its nature is carried out in secrecy
while the victim is not able to assemble medical evidence. He said the
submission that there was no medical evidence to support the claim of torture
is not sustainable in law.
Justice
Gidudu also expressed surprise by the tricks used to arrest the two as if they
had been on run. He also questioned the deployment of senior UPDF officers to
arrest suspects and charging them with offences that do not fall under the
URA-related laws.
Source:https://www.independent.co.ug/two-ura-employees-awarded-ugx-400m-for-torture/
ADVOCATING
FOR INCLUSION OF PWDs: PWDS DEMAND SPECIAL SLOTS IN THE EA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Person's living with disability asked Parliament to
allocate them slots in the East African legislative assembly.
The PWDS under the umbrella organization the
National Union of Disabled persons of Uganda said giving them a slot in the
regional assembly will promote inclusive representation.
This comes as Uganda prepares to conduct EALA
elections on 29th of this months Currently the ruling party NRM has ring fenced
Six positions out of the nine slots that Uganda has.
Ninsima John Chris the Acting executive director of
the National Union of persons with disabilities said having a direct slot for
PWDs will have a positive impact on PWDs as their concerns will be voiced
directly to the regional body.
BUSSINES
AND HUMAN RIGHTS: UGANDA FURIOUS AT EU
FOR CENSURING OIL PROJECT OVER RIGHTS ABUSE
The
Ugandan parliament dismissed a resolution by the European Union (EU) parliament
to halt the development of the country's oil sector, citing environmental
concerns and human rights abuses, as economic racism.
Thomas
Tayebwa, Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan parliament, said the motion by the EU
parliament seeks to curtail the progress of Uganda's oil and gas developments
and by extension, the country's socio-economic growth and development.
"It also seeks to deny Ugandans and East
Africans the benefits and opportunities from the oil and gas sector. This
represents the highest form of economic racism against developing countries,"
Tayebwa said.
Earlier,
the European Parliament had fingered the joint oil production and
transportation by Uganda and Tanzania, calling on the EU and the international
community to exert “maximum pressure” on the two countries over associated
human rights abuses and environmental concerns.
The
parliament, sitting in Strasbourg, France, advised EU members, the
international community and project promoters and stakeholders to “put an end
to the extractive activities in protected and sensitive ecosystems, including
the shores of Lake Albert.”
The
EU Parliament revealed that a mission from the EU delegation and the embassies
of France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands was barred from
entering the oil zone on November 9, 2021.
The
MPs urged players in the project to study the feasibility of an alternative
route for the project to better protect sensitive ecosystems and the water
resources of Uganda and Tanzania, and limit the impact on the watersheds in the
African Great Lakes region.
UGANDA AIRLINES PROBE:
MPS WANT UGANDA AIRLINES MANAGEMENT DISBANDED OVER FRAUD
More
rot and fresh details emerged yesterday as MPs on the committee of commissions,
statutory authorities and state enterprises (Cosase) concluded their month-long
probe into Uganda Airlines' operations.
During
the meeting, it emerged that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jenifer Bamuturaki,
without the knowledge of Uganda Airlines' secretary, Bisereko Kyomuhendo,
unlawfully contracted the Independent Online Journalists
Association-Uganda (INDOJA) led by Andrew Irumba, a blogger and CEO of
online publication, The Spy Uganda up to a tune of Shs 156 million to 'counter
bad publicity' against the airline.
Cosase
chairperson Joel Ssenyonyi produced a copy of the contract drafted by
Bamuturaki and allegedly witnessed by Bisereko, the corporation secretary.
However, Bisereko too expressed shock and said that he was seeing the document
for the first time. Through the doctored contract, the airline's finance
department on the orders of Bamuturaki, flagged Shs 117 million upfront
payment.
Cosase
chairperson Ssenyonyi tasked Bamuturaki to explain how she was part of a
three-man committee headed by Patrick Omony Okema then the interim head of
procurement and disposal unit; Joseph Ssebowa (manager human resources) of the
airlines that highly appraised Abbavater Group.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
1.
Over
the years, the Uganda government is commended for advancing the protection and promotion of rights of PWDs
and this is evident through the enaction of key legislations designed to ensure
the protection and promotion of rights of PWDs such as the Persons with Disabilities
Act, 2020 which among provides for the establishment the National Council for
Persons with Disabilities. In addition, the Government has also
ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, strategies all aimed at providing for the respect and promotion of fundamental human
rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities.
2.
The
Human Rights Centre Uganda continues to appreciate all efforts of HRDs and key stakeholders
across the country for their unwavering efforts towards the protection and
promotion of human rights and also working towards improving the working environment
of human rights defenders in Uganda.
Thank you for reading
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