HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE: ISSUE NO. 7 OF 2024
THE
WEEK OF 4TH TO 10TH MARCH 2024
Dear reader, welcome to
this new week where we expect to continue promoting and striving for the
protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedom for all.
Welcome back from the celebrations to
mark this year’s International Women’s Day which were held under the theme ‘Accelerating
Equality through Women Economic Empowerment” shortened as “Invest
in Women; Accelerate Progress.’ The national celebrations in Uganda
took place in Katakwi and it was the first time the district was hosting the
celebrations since its creation 27 years ago. The Chief Guest was His Excellency
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/news/in-pictures-womens-day-celebrations-in-katakw-NV_183037
FIGHTING INJUSTICE: INJUSTICES
AGAINST WOMEN ARE MAN-MADE, SAYS WINNIE BYANYIMA
At
least five women or girls are killed every hour by someone in their own family
and one in three women worldwide experiences sexual or gender-based violence.
This is according to UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima who urged
countries including Uganda to protect women’s rights.
She
further called on leaders to fight all forms of gender-based violence if women
and girls are to be protected against HIV/AIDS.
“Today,
women’s hard-won rights are under a globally coordinated, ruthless attack.
Those facing the most vicious attack are already the most marginalized women,”
said Byanyima.
“The
injustices faced by women are not natural disasters to prepare for, like
hurricanes or storms. They are man-made, and, as such, we can unmake them,” she
added.
In
her message to mark International Women’s Day on Friday, Byanyima said the
world is off-track to meet the gender, equality, and HIV targets that are part
of the Sustainable Development Goals.
She
further explained that women are threatened by the organized pushback against
their rights.
Source:
https://www.kfm.co.ug/news/injustices-against-women-are-man-made-says-winnie-byanyima.html
CONFLICT
RESOLUTION AND MANAGEMENT: PRESIDENT MUSEVENI ROUTES FOR
TRADITIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Uganda's
President, Yoweri Museveni advised the Judiciary to study the
pre-colonial methods of handling disputes since they have some positive elements within
them that the present legal system must emulate.
This
was contained in his message to the participants in the ongoing two days African Chief Justice Summit on Alternative
Dispute Resolution (ADR) organized by the Judiciary in Kampala.
The
President's message was delivered by the Vice president Jessica Alupo.
H.E,
the President noted that one of the core principals of Africa's jurisprudence
was truth finding which defers from the current legal British system that African
inherited.
"In
the current system, one hires a lawyer to cover his or her mistakes in a
courtroom. The Lawyers job is to minimize his client's mistakes and maximize
his innocence and paid to obscure the truth." President Museveni noted.
RIGHT TO
EDUCATION: UACE RESULTS: 73% QUALIFY FOR UNIVERSITY
ADMISSION
The
Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has released the results for the 2023
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examination with 80,643
students meeting the criteria for admission into university degree programs.
University
admissions to degree courses in Uganda have, up to date, have been considering
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) with at least two (2) principal
passes in prescribed subjects obtained at the same sitting.
During
the release of the examination results, Dan Odongo, the Executive Director of
UNEB, highlighted that despite 108,492 candidates, equivalent to 99.1 percent
of exam takers, meeting the qualifications for UACE certificate, 80,543
individuals, constituting 73.7 percent of the qualified candidates, are eligible
for university admission.
According
to records, this marks the highest number of students qualifying for university
education in Uganda within a single year, nearly matching the total population
of enrollment in public universities recorded in 2019 which stood at 90,300
students.
Source:
https://www.independent.co.ug/uace-results-73-qualify-for-university-admission/
ACCESS TO
JUSTICE: KIDNAPPING RWANDAN REFUGEES: STATE
SETS FREE 7 POLICE OFFICERS
Seven
senior police officers who were initially charged with failure to protect war
materials, aiding and abetting the kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan refugees
were set free.
The
seven officers include Nixon Agasirwe, the former head of operations and former
commandant at the special investigations unit (SIU), Col Ndahura Atwooki, the
former director of crime intelligence and Herbert Muhangi, the former head of
the flying squad.
Others
are Richard Ndaboine, the former head of the cybercrime unit, Patrick Muramira,
an operative in the flying squad, Jonas Ayebaza, a former personal assistant to
former Inspector General of Police Gen Edward Kale Kayihura and Muyomba
Kitagenda, an operative with the flying squad.
The
prosecution had stated that on October 25, 2013, while at Kamengo in Mpigi
district, the seven police officers conspired with their former boss Kayihura
to kidnap three Rwandan refugees namely; Joel Mutabazi, Jackson Kalemera and
Innocent Kaliisa and conveyed them to their country against their will.
The
entire group had also been charged with unlawfully allowing the issuance of
guns to unauthorized groups of people including the then Boda-Boda 2010 patron
Abdallah Kitatta, and his bodyguard detective constable Sowali Ngobi. The duo
was later on found guilty and sentenced to a jail term they have since finished
serving.
The
policemen were between 2017 and 2018 jailed before securing their temporary
freedom on bail. The group which was initially charged with Kayihura was on
Tuesday afternoon released by the General Court Martial in Makindye presided
over by Brig Gen Freeman Robert Mugabe.
The
prosecution led by Lt Col Raphael Mugisha tendered a letter dated March 5,
2024, to the court indicating that the directorate of the prosecutions in the
UPDF had withdrawn the charges against the police officers. He didn't specify
the reasons for this decision.
REGIONAL
UPDATE
CIVIL AND
POLITICAL RIGHTS - ELECTIONS: RWANDA'S PAUL KAGAME ENDORSED BY
RULING PARTY TO SEEK ANOTHER TERM
Rwanda's
President Paul Kagame was on Saturday endorsed by his ruling party as its
candidate in a presidential election due in July, potentially extending his
rule in the central African nation of 13 million people to around three
decades.
Kagame
has been president since 2000 although he has been effectively in control since
his rebel force marched into Kigali in 1994 to end a genocide.
At
a meeting of top officials of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) in the
capital Kagame was endorsed by 99.1 percent of votes cast.
"We
know where this country has come from, I appreciate the apparent role you have
played in that. I also appreciate the trust that you always and continue to
place in me," Kagame said after he was endorsed.
Source:
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/rwanda-paul-kagame-endorsed-elections-4551330
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATE
DEPRIVATION
OF PERSOANL LIBERTY: GUNMEN KIDNAP OVER 200 PUPILS FROM
SCHOOL IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
Gunmen
in Nigeria kidnapped more than 200 school pupils in the northern town of Kuriga
on Thursday, a teacher, local councillor and parents of the missing children
said, in the biggest mass abduction from a school since 2021.
Police
in Kaduna state did not respond to requests for comment on the abductions,
which happened shortly after morning assembly at the Local Government Education
Authority School in the town of Kuriga.
"The
number of the kidnapped from the secondary section based on the statistics we
took together with the parents is 187 while that of the primary section is 40
for now," said Sani Abdullahi, a home economics teacher.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
1.
International
Women's Day provides an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the
contributions and achievements of women in various spheres of life, including
politics, business, science, arts, education, and more. Also, it helps raise
awareness about the issues and challenges women face globally, including
gender-based discrimination, violence against women, lack of access to
education and healthcare, and unequal opportunities in the workforce.
2.
Embracing
Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as mediation and arbitration offers
numerous benefits, including cost-effectiveness, time efficiency, preservation
of relationships, flexibility, and promotion of fairness and equity. By
incorporating ADR into dispute resolution strategies, individuals and
organizations can effectively manage conflicts and achieve mutually acceptable
resolutions with greater efficiency and satisfaction.
3.
A
higher percentage of students qualifying for university means increased access
to higher education opportunities. This enables more individuals to pursue
advanced degrees and acquire the knowledge and skills needed for professional
and personal growth hence promoting the right to education.
4.
Kidnaps
of children and any other person should be unequivocally condemned due to their
violation of human rights, infliction of trauma and psychological harm,
disruption of education, threat to society and, undermining of the rule of law.
Efforts must be intensified to prevent such atrocities, protect students, and
create safe and inclusive learning environments for all children.
Thank you for reading. Let
us keep in close touch.
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