HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO.6 OF 2023
WEEKLY
UPDATE ON KEY EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKING ENVIROMENT OF
HRDS IN UGANDA
THE
WEEK OF 13TH TO 19TH FEBRUARY 2023
Dear
reader,
Welcome to this new week! We
appreciate your resilience over the times and request that we continue with the
zeal and passion to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms
in Uganda and world over.
HRCU is pleased to share with you the
weekly contextual analysis by highlighting some of the stories that not only
made news in the course of last week but also touch human rights and the work
of human rights defenders in the country. Ultimately, we hope that the
information shall be utilized to advocate better environment for promotion and
protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.
EMERGING
ISSUES FROM LAST WEEK
THE
RIGHT TO EDUCATION: A-LEVEL STUDENTS TO STUDY FOR FIVE YEARS
Students across the
country, who will qualify to join A-Level education, will now be required to
study for up to five years, should the government approve the new A-Level
curriculum in the offing.
Initially, students have
been studying Senior Five and Six in two years’ time before joining
universities. According to the proposed amendments in the A-Level curriculum,
the tenure for A-Level will be a minimum of two years and maximum of five years
to enhance inclusivity.
General Paper, which was
initially being offered by all students, will be replaced with contemporary studies
such as generic ICT and research skills; financial literacy, basic nutrition,
climate change, functional statistics and peace building.
Learners who will fail
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations will now be
required to repeat only a failed subject. Initially, if a learner failed to
attain two principle passes, they would be required to repeat the entire
examination.
This is witnessed at
universities where a student who fails a paper is allowed to proceed to the
next semester, and retake the paper he or she failed later.
School-based assessment set to constitute 20 percent of the end of cycle grade
has also been introduced at this level, just like it was done in the new lower
secondary curriculum.
This means students will be
working for an 80 percent mark when they sit for UACE examinations conducted by
Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
CELEBRATNG EDUCATION: MAKERERE
UNIVERSITY 73RD GRADUATION: BEST OVERALL STUDENT GRADUATES
A student from Makerere University
Business School (MUBS) emerged as the best overall performing learner during
the 73rd graduation ceremony at Makerere University.
Mr. Jordan Jeff Owomugisha, a former
guild president of MUBS Mbarara campus was pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce. He
beat over 13,000 students graduating during the 73rd graduation ceremony after
scoring a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.90. He said it satisfying
to be the best among the 13000 graduating during the 5-day 73rd ceremony.
According to Owomugisha, he managed
to make it by reading so hard, doing the right thing at the right time, and
always making sure he concentrated and dedicated all his efforts to books
during exam period so that he could read all the concepts. He added that he had
a serious discussion group that helped him out.
Makerere University’s Convocation
led by the Chairperson, Dr. Tanga Odoi on Thursday presented awards of
recognition to the Chancellor, Chairperson of Council, Vice-Chancellor,
Principal, MUBS as well as a plaque and a cash prize of Shs1 million to the
best overall student, Mr. Owomugisha.
The graduation ceremony, which
kicked off on Monday February 13, 2023 saw
a total of over 13,500 students graduate in various programmes.
THE RIGHT TO APPLY FOR BAIL: MPS
SSEGIRINYA, SSEWANYANA GRANTED BAIL
Allan
Ssewanyana, the Makindye West MP and his Kawempe North counterpart, Muhammad
Ssegirinya finally secured bail. Masaka High Court Resident Judge, Lawrence
Tweyanze granted the two legislators temporary freedom on Monday February 13,
2023.
The duo
has spent nearly 16 months on remand on a spiral of charges including attempted
murder, murder, and terrorism following their arrest on September 7th, 2021.
The suspects who attended court via video link from Kigo prisons applied for
bail through their lawyers Caleb Alaka, Medard Ssegona, and Erias Lukwago on
grounds of ill health.
Before the
ruling, Richard Birivumbuka, the Masaka Resident Chief State Attorney on behalf
of the Director of Public Persecution-DPP asked to withdraw their affidavits
that sought to challenge the legislator’s earlier bail applications.
In his
ruling, Lawrence Tweyanze granted the accused persons cash bail of Shillings 20
million each, and granted the prayers of the state, except for restricting the
legislators from moving out of the country. The court also bonded each of the
legislator’s sureties including Kalungu West MP, Joseph Ssewungu, Masaka City
Mayor Florence Namayanja, Former Lubaga North MP, Moses Kasibante, and Kawempe
Division Councilors Thomas Bagonza, Shillings 50 million not in cash.
Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/mps-ssegirinya-ssewanyana-granted-bail-2/
THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM FROM TORTURE: NUP SUPPORTER RECALLS THE
AMOUNT OF TORTURE DURING DETENTION
The National Unity Platform leader Robert Kyagulanyi has
condemned the continued abductions and torture of his supporters, with the
latest being a one Eric Mwesigwa who was reportedly abducted by unknown
individuals last month. The victim was tortured for nine days and later dumped
in an unknown place only to be rescued by a boda boda operator who rushed him
to hospital.
THE GENDER ORIENTATION AND DISCUSSION:
MUSEVENI: UGANDA WON’T SUPPORT HOMOSEXUALITY
President Museveni said Uganda will
not embrace homosexuality and the West should stop seeking to impose its views
to compel dissenting countries to “normalise” what he called “deviations”.
Officiating at the national
celebrations to mark Janani Luwum Day at Wii-Gweng village in Mucwini
Sub-County, Kitgum District, Mr. Museveni said, “We are not going to follow people who are lost. These Europeans are not
normal, they don’t listen”.
The President’s remarks, which drew
applause from congregants, were in response to pleas by the Church of Uganda
Archbishop, His Grace Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, for the government to join the
Church in condemning homosexuality and legislate against it.
The National NGO Bureau, the
statutory regulator of the civil society sector, in a leaked January 2023
report named a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) it said are
suspected of promoting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer,
Intersex-Plus (LGBTQI+).
Source:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/museveni-uganda-won-t-support-homosexuality--4127004
REMEMBERING THE WORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS
DEFENDERS: CELEBRATING LUWUM IS ODD WITH RIGHTS ABUSES - MAYIGA
Buganda Premier Charles Peter Mayiga
said the government’s celebration of the
life of the murdered Archbishop Janani Luwum is odd if the same wrongs he
opposed are still occurring.
In a Twitter post last week, the
Katikkiro (Prime Minister) said: “It is a
contradiction and shame that we commemorate the murder of Archbishop Janan
Luwum by Idi Amin when State security operatives [continue] torturing Ugandans
in the same manner, today. Respect for human rights is the foundation for
democracy and progress”.
He attached the photo of a National
Unity Platform (NUP) party supporter, Eric Mwesigwa, who was abducted,
tortured, and released with severe wounds early this month.
The Katikkiro’s remark came at a
time when the NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, condemned the
continued abductions and torture of his supporters, with the latest being
Mwesigwa.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
1. While we congratulate those who
completed their studies at University and other levels of learning, the ongoing
discussion rotates around the proposed five years of Advanced Level education.
Everyone may take off time to engage around this to see how best it will be
incorporated and accepted by the direct beneficiaries and stakeholders.
2. The right to apply for bail is a
fundamental right guaranteed by Article 23 (6) of the 1995 Constitution of the
Republic of Uganda. It is rooted from Article 28 of the same Constitution which
notes that any accused person shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty by
a competent and impartial court. In addition, the protection of this right
requires that an accused person shall be entitled to affair and speedy hearing
before an independent and competent court established by law. Therefore, state
and non state actors must ensure that citizens fully enjoy this right.
Additionally, the keeping of accused persons behind bars for a long time is
also an infringement to this right.
3. The act of torture is one of the
most atrocious violations of a person’s human rights and dignity. This act
continues to be widely practiced in all parts of the world especially by
security agencies as a mechanism of interrogation and getting information out
of arrested persons. We must continue to speak and advocate against torture and
also support victims of this vice.
4. As the
debate of gender and sex orientation goes on, it is important to remain focused
on the key principles of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Otherwise, some
people look at and take it as amounting to hate speech against those who seek
to speak for the sexual and gender based minorities. Uganda maintains its
position of never accepting homosexuality whereas some citizens who think
Uganda should be tolerant continue to raise their concerns. In the end, there
must be ground upon which to settle while helping everyone to realize the
prevailing realities especially in Uganda.
5. Remembering and celebrating human
rights defenders for their work is a welcomed gesture. Time after time, ordinary
people around the world carry out extraordinary things to stand up for the
rights and freedoms of themselves and the people around them. Human Rights Defenders
are everyday superheroes and champions as they carry out critical work and
showcase bravery and courage in the course of their work. Human rights
defenders also work to improve societies and contribute to peace and democracy
and full realization of rights and freedoms. It’s important to note that HRDs
are agents for positive change and development of countries and societies
within which they operate, and are very important in protecting against human
rights violations and advancing universal human rights.
Thank
you for reading. Wishing you the very best of the week.
Thank
you for reading. Wishing you the very best of the week.
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