HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO. 34 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 19TH TO 25TH
SEPTEMBER, 2022
Dear reader,
Welcome to this new week!
This week started with a highlight of the quick
spread of the Ebola disease which places us in a position of taking due care
of ourselves and those around us. There is need to keep informed about the
developments and know how to handle the situation as individuals, families,
corporate bodies, and as a nation.
The Human Rights Centre Uganda continues to share
with you some of the relevant updates that were part of the news in the
preceding week. Please read through the following:
HEALTH WATCH:
EBOLA OUTBREAK: SEVEN EBOLA CASES, ONE DEATH CONFIRMED IN
UGANDA, WHO SCALES UP RESPONSE
Seven cases of the rare Sudan strain of the virus,
including one death, were confirmed in the east African country of Uganda. The
announcement came two days after WHO confirmed the first new case, after six
suspicious deaths were reported in Mubende district earlier this month.
Forty-three contacts were identified, and 10 people
are believed to have caught the virus, and are receiving treatment at the
regional referral hospital in Mubende, making it the first time Uganda has
detected the Sudan ebolavirus since 2012.
Mubende is located in the central region of Uganda,
around two hours by car from the capital Kampala, along a busy road leading to
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
There are gold mines in the area, which attract
people from different parts of Uganda, as well as other countries; WHO
explained that, because of the mobile nature of the population in the region,
there is an increased risk of the virus spreading further.
Ebola can be deadly, but early identification of
cases and treatment of symptoms greatly increases the chances of survival.
None of the current Ebola vaccines are effective
against the Sudan strain identified in Uganda, but at least six candidate
vaccines are in different stages of development.
The WHO Research and Development Blueprint team is
in contact with all developers and is leading a collaborative effort involving
international experts to determine which of the vaccines may be suitable for
additional evaluation during this outbreak, should more cases be
confirmed.
Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1127461
EBOLA
PREVENTION: GOVT RULES OUT LOCKDOWN FOR MUBENDE OVER EBOLA
The government ruled out the possibility of imposing
a lockdown on Mubende District, the epicentre of the Ebola Sudan strain, opting
for strict adherence to health guidelines at both public and private
facilities.
The health minister, Dr Ruth Aceng, at the weekend
clarified that the government would not restrict people’s movement and close
public places.
The government is instead rallying the population to
follow strict health guidelines, remain vigilant, and collaborate with the
health personnel.
Her communication came as a relief to a section of
district leaders that had earlier expressed fear of a likely lockdown as a
measure to counter the transmission of Ebola.
KEY EMERGING HUMAN
RIGHTS ISSUES
THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE
HOUSING: 2,000 FACE EVICTION IN TORORO AS GOVT STARTS WETLAND RESTORATION
Communities bordering major wetlands in Tororo
District on Tuesday September 20, 2022 resisted attempts by government to
launch wetland restoration exercise.
Uganda’s water and environment ministry reportedly
secured support under green climate funds to restore wetlands in at least 26
districts facing serious degradation.
During the exercise launch at Posuna Wetland in
Magola Sub County, residents whose land stretches up to the wetland opposed the
move claiming that “government was tactfully coming to grab their land.”
Malawa village LC1 chairperson Laston Oketcho told
the wetland restoration officials that “no one is ready to go off the wetland
not until they are shown an alternative land for their settlement.”
Meantime, the Tororo Resident District Commissioner
(RDC) Nickson Owole appealed to the resisting residents to peacefully surrender
the wetland before the law catches up with them.
THE WORKING ENVIROMENT
OF NGOs IN UGANDA: 7 NEW LAWS MAY TARGET NGOS, COMPANY OWNERS
On August 30, 2022, the Parliament of Uganda chaired
by Speaker Anita Among hurriedly passed seven bills with little opposition.
The passed bills included; The Anti-Money Laundering
(Amendment) Bill, 2022; The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2022; The Partnerships
(Amendment) Bill, 2022; The Trustees Incorporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022; The
Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment)
Bill, 2022.
The laws are meant to strengthen the legal and
regulatory framework for cases of money laundering and terrorism financing in
Uganda. The Mutual Evaluation Report on Uganda recommended several measures to
strengthen the Anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing legal
framework. It is after their implementation that Uganda would be considered
compliant with the regulations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The Financial Action Task Force is a global
inter-governmental organization policy-making body established by the G7 group
of countries; Germany, United States of America, Canada, France, Italy, Japan,
the United Kingdom, and the European Union states.
The bills were subsequently assented to by the
president. In his September 8, 2022 letter, the Clerk to Parliament Adolf
Mwesige shared a copy of each of the assented bills with the chief justice. The
letter was copied to the minister for justice and constitutional affairs and
the first Parliament Counsel.
Source:https://observer.ug/news/headlines/75246-7-new-laws-may-target-ngos-company-owners
WITNESS
PROTECTION Vs THE RIGHT TO A FAIR HEARING: STATE ASKS COURT TO HIDE IDENTITY OF
WITNESSES, EVIDENCE IN MPS SSEGIRINYA, SEWANYANA MURDER CASE
The International Crimes Division of the High Court
set September 26, 2022 to rule on whether to allow a request by the state to
present some evidence and Witnesses in the Judge's Chambers instead of an open
Court in the murder and terrorism case against Kawempe North MP Muhammad
Ssegirinya and Makindye West MP Allan Sewanyana.
This means that some Witnesses' identities will be
protected from the public as requested mainly for alleged personal theft, a
move that has been contested by the defense team led by Kampala Lord Mayor
Erias Lukwago
Justice Alice Komuhangi will further determine
whether to consolidate all the case files against the MPs and their five
co-accused into one case as requested by the defense team including one case
still before the Masaka Chief Magistrate Court, which to them is null and void
since they are in contravention of Article 28 of the Constitution that gives
them a right to a fair trial.
Lukwago said the Director of Public Prosecutions
should disclose all their intended evidence to them and want the court to have
the case heard in an open Court with all state witnesses present.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE: MUHAMMAD
KIRUMIRA'S MURDER TRIAL STARTS FOUR YEARS LATER
The trial of two men accused of killing Muhammad
Kirumira, the former Buyende district police commander (DPC), and his friend,
Resty Mbabazi Nalinya commenced Tuesday before the High court in Kampala.
Unknown assailants riding on a motorcycle gunned
down the duo in Bulenga town along Mityana road on September 8, 2018. The
two were seated in a vehicle when the assailants spread them with a volley of
bullets. Police swung into action and picked up Abubaker Karungi and Hamza
Mwebe, both suspected members of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The
suspects appeared before the Wakiso grade one magistrate for murder and
were committed to the High court in March 2019.
However, the trial never kicked off until September
20, 2022, before justice Margaret Mutonyi. The prosecution led by assistant
director of public prosecutions Thomas Jatiko presented six witnesses who
pinned the accused persons.
The witnesses included police officers,
pathologists, eyewitnesses, and Suleiman Kyabaggu, the Local Council 1
chairperson of Kyasanku village in Mpigi district. The first prosecution
witness was Abdul Kigongo, a driver from Bulenga, who told the court that on
the day the two were killed, he had just passed by and greeted Kirumira and
Mbabazi at about 8 pm.
Source:https://observer.ug/news/headlines/75238-muhammad-kirumira-s-murder-trial-starts-four-years-later
CONCLUDING REMARKS
1.
As the outbreak of Ebola disease was confirmed in
the country last week, we urge all HRDs and the general public to remain
vigilant and also adhere to the set safety and prevention measures by the
Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. The set guidelines can be
accessed here: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/government-issues-new-ebola-dos-and-don-ts-3957516
2.
The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and
Cultural Rights outline and emphasizes the right to adequate housing and
further stresses that it should be a right to live in security, peace, and
dignity. The right to adequate housing contains freedoms and entitlements that need to be protected and promoted. Where citizens' occupancy is of danger to the
environment such as occupying wetland areas, it’s important that authorities
adhere to the human rights-based approach while enforcing guidelines and relocation.
3.
Human rights defenders in Uganda and all over the
globe are constantly reminded to speak out against abuse and violations of
human rights and fundamental freedoms whenever and wherever they do occur. It
is the obligation of the state to listen to the voice(s) of human rights
defenders and as much as possible, put in place mechanisms to protect the
citizens against any form of harm or hurt. Structures and mechanisms ought to
be in place and running efficiently and effectively for the promotion and
protection of human rights for all.
We thank you for
reading and wish you a happy new week
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