HRCU WEEKLY ANALYSIS | 16TH TO 22ND JUNE 2025
Dear Reader,
The Human Rights Centre Uganda welcomes
you to this week and is pleased to share its latest updates, focusing on human
rights and key emerging issues from the past week, particularly those impacting human
rights defenders (HRDs) in Uganda.
Last week saw HRCU in partnership with National Bureau for NGOs in Uganda holding a successful quarterly dialogue meeting with the Minister of Internal Affairs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2DD6zLH-FU
and
HRCU’s call to everyone especially
human rights defenders is that we should be on the look out through the
mechanisms of monitoring, documenting and reporting (MDR) to ensure that all citizens
live a life where their rights and fundamental freedoms can be respected and
upheld. Ultimately, the news updates should not only inform us about what is
happening or what has happened but should encourage us to advocate for a better
environment for all of us.
NATIONAL UPDATES
CIVILIANS BACK IN MILITARY COURTS AS
MUSEVENI SIGNS UPDF AMENDMENT LAW
President
Museveni has signed the contentious UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025, into law
granting military courts sweeping powers to try civilians under certain circumstances,
a move that critics say contradicts, a January 31st,2025, Supreme
Court ruling.
Source:
GOVERNMENT REVIVES TALKS ON MINIMUM
WAGE
The government
has resumed discussions on introducing a national minimum wage, a move seen as
long overdue in a labour market increasingly dominated by low-paying and
unregulated jobs.
Source:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/government-revives-talks-on-minimum-wage-5087034
UHRC CLARIFIES: ADULTERY NO LONGER A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE BUT CRIMINAL TRESPASS
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has officially
clarified that adultery is no longer recognized as a criminal offense under
Ugandan law. However in certain circumstances particularly when it involves
unauthorized entry into another person's property or home it may be prosecuted
under section 302 of the penal code act as criminal trespass.
Source:
GOV’T
BALANCING ACT OF BIG BUDGET, POOR SERVICES DELIVERY
The next
fiscal year 2025/2026 spending starting in July appears intently designed to
appease, atleast on paper interest groups from the youth, elderly,
artistes(musicians) and personnel of the security services, and generally keep
the electorate happy ahead of the upcoming election campaigns.
Source:
GOVT TO ARREST MONEY LENDERS HOLDING
NATIONAL IDs AS COLLATERAL
As Uganda
continues the process of updating, registering, and replacing National Identity
Cards (IDs), the government has ordered a crackdown on money lenders who
confiscate National IDs as collateral for loans.
Source:
WE DON’T NEED THE MILITARY IN OUR
ELECTIONS, SAYS OTAFIIRE
The Minister
of Internal Affairs, General Kahinda Otafiire, has said it is not the duty of soldiers
to maintain law and order. That the work of the military is not to ensure
internal law and order. That the work should be left for the police and are
enough to do the jobs hence there is no need for military deployment.
Source:
OVER
15 RETIRED JUDGES TAPPED TO CLEAR CASE BACKLOG THROUGH MEDIATION
The judiciary
announced it had trained over 300 mediators, including religious leaders, to
promote Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and expedite the disposal of cases
during this period.
Source:
https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/news/over-15-retired-judges-tapped-to-clear-case-b-NV_212799
DON’T INTERFERE WITH EC’S WORK,
BYABAKAMA TELLS SECURITY
Justice Simon Byabakama, Chair of the
Electoral Commission, urged all stakeholders particularly security agencies—to respect their
boundaries, warning against the Army's continued involvement in the electoral
process.
Source:
REGIONAL UPDATES
HOW POLICE COLLUDED WITH GOONS IN
NAIROBI PROTEST FOR JUSTICE
Club-wielding thugs, some armed with
machetes, whips, and stones, walked alongside uniformed police as a peaceful
protest for teacher Albert Ojwang turned violent in Nairobi's Central
Business District (CBD).
Source:
RWANDA SAYS 'NO PEACE DEAL WILL BE
SIGNED' YET WITH DRC
A peace deal between Rwanda and the
Democratic Republic of Congo, brokered by the United States, will no longer be
signed on June 15th, 2025, Rwanda's foreign minister said on Saturday. In
April, both nations had agreed during Washington-led talks to draft a peace
deal aimed at ending the crisis in eastern DRC, with the signing initially
scheduled for mid-June.
Source:
https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/world/rwanda-says-no-peace-deal-will-be-signed-yet-NV_212689
SUDAN IN DANGER OF SELF-DESTRUCTING AS
CONFLICT AND FAMINE REIGN
Sudan's
war is in strategic stalemate. Each side stakes its hopes on a new offensive, a
new delivery of weapons, a new political alliance, but neither can gain a
decisive advantage. The losers are the Sudanese people. Every month there are
more who are hungry, displaced, despairing.
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg717385nj7o
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES
TRUMP CONSIDERS TRAVEL BAN ON UGANDANS, OTHER COUNTRIES
United States
President Donald Trump is considering restrictions on Ugandans travelling to
his country unless the requirements set by the Department of State are met
within a 60-day deadline.
Source:
ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT
The Israel-Iran conflict has reached
its seventh day. President Trump is considering U.S. options but has not
committed to involvement, seeking to avoid a prolonged conflict. Iran warned of
severe consequences if the U.S. intervenes, while military strikes continue
between Israel and Iran.
Source:
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-conflict-06-18-25-intl-hnk
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER SAYS COUNTRY WON’T SURRENDER
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei said that his country won’t surrender and warned that any U.S. military
intervention would bring irreparable consequences.
Source:
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/israel-iran-conflict-news
RUSSIAN STRIKES IN UKRAINE HIT KYIV AND KILL TWO IN ODESA
Russia has launched one of its largest
strikes on Kyiv, injuring four people and causing widespread damage across
seven of the capital's ten districts, officials said.
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2jzp0ewe0o
WEEK'S ANALYSIS
1. The latest wave of governance and legal actions in Uganda reveals a tension between constitutional guarantees and executive practice, raising critical legal and democratic concerns. The reintroduction of civilians into military courts through the amendment of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Act appears to contradict the spirit of Article 28(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing before an independent and impartial court or tribunal established by law. This issue was central in the case of Uganda Law Society v Attorney General (Constitutional Petition Number 18 of 2005), where the Constitutional Court ruled that trying civilians in military courts violated constitutional protections.
2. The government’s renewed discussions on introducing a minimum wage signal responsiveness to social demands but expose a continued delay in fulfilling Article 40(1)(a), which guarantees the right to work under satisfactory, safe, and healthy conditions. The clarification by the Uganda Human Rights Commission that adultery is no longer a criminal offence reflects a shift toward the protection of individual freedoms; however, the continued enforcement of criminal trespass laws in domestic contexts raises concerns about misuse and gender bias.
3. The proposed arrests of moneylenders holding national identity cards as collateral highlight legal gaps in financial regulation and risk contravening the Data Protection and Privacy Act of 2019, which protects personal information. Statements by Minister Kahinda Otafiire against military involvement in elections reinforce Article 208(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, which mandates the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces to be nonpartisan, a principle often undermined in practice. The deployment of more than fifteen retired judges to clear the judicial backlog through mediation is a pragmatic measure, yet it must remain compliant with Article 128, which guarantees judicial independence. Lastly, the warning by Electoral Commission Chairperson Simon Byabakama to security forces not to interfere with electoral processes affirms Article 61(1), which confers independence on the Electoral Commission. Altogether, these actions reflect Uganda’s ongoing challenge of aligning state conduct with constitutional obligations and the rule of law.
4. The unfolding crises in the East and Central African region, particularly involving Kenya, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, reflect deep-rooted governance failures, regional insecurity, and violations of both domestic and international legal norms. Reports that police in Nairobi colluded with criminal elements during protests not only undermine public trust but also violate Article 244 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, which mandates the National Police Service to uphold professionalism and human rights. Such actions contravene principles established in Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) v Inspector General of Police & 5 others [2016] eKLR, where the High Court emphasized the duty of police to facilitate peaceful protest. Rwanda’s firm stance that no peace deal will yet be signed with the Democratic Republic of Congo reflects a persistent breakdown in diplomatic and regional conflict resolution mechanisms, despite obligations under the African Union Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which advocate for peaceful dispute resolution.
5. In Sudan, the convergence of armed conflict and famine constitutes a grave humanitarian and legal crisis. The Sudanese government and all parties involved are bound by international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, particularly Common Article 3, which prohibits targeting civilians and obstructing humanitarian aid in internal conflicts. The situation in Sudan could further attract the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, as seen in Prosecutor v Omar al-Bashir, should evidence of war crimes or crimes against humanity emerge. Together, these events underscore a regional pattern of state fragility, accountability deficits, and the urgent need for both domestic reform and stronger international oversight.
6. The current geopolitical developments reflect a volatile intersection of international law, state sovereignty, and human rights, raising critical concerns across multiple jurisdictions. Reports that former United States President Donald Trump is considering a travel ban on Ugandans and citizens of other nations echo the contested Executive Order 13769 (2017) commonly known as the "Muslim Ban" which was legally challenged in Trump v. Hawaii, 585 U.S. 2018). In that case, the United States Supreme Court upheld the president's broad discretion over immigration, yet dissenting opinions warned of its potential violation of the First Amendment and international non-discrimination norms under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).
7. The intensifying Israel-Iran conflict and the declaration by Iran’s Supreme Leader that the country “will not surrender” raise questions under Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force between states. Both nations risk violating international humanitarian law, especially if civilian populations are targeted without distinction. Concurrently, Russia’s ongoing military actions in Ukraine including deadly strikes in Kyiv and Odesa are clear breaches of international law, particularly the Geneva Conventions and Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which classifies intentional attacks against civilians as war crimes.
8. Russia’s conduct in Ukraine has already prompted formal investigations by the International Criminal Court, as seen in The Prosecutor v. Vladimir Putin (2023), where an arrest warrant was issued for alleged unlawful deportation of children. Collectively, these events underscore the erosion of international legal norms and the urgent need for multilateral enforcement mechanisms to address impunity, uphold human rights, and prevent escalation into broader regional or global conflict.
THANK YOU FOR READING. UNTIL NEXT
WEEK!
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