HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE AND ANALYSIS | 30TH JUNE TO 6TH JULY 2025
Dear Human Rights Defender and Esteemed Partner,
Welcome to this new week of purposeful
engagement in advancing justice and protecting human dignity. The Human Rights
Centre Uganda remains firmly committed to promoting and safeguarding the rights
and freedoms of all.
All human rights defenders,
stakeholders, rights holders, and duty bearers are encouraged to remain
vigilant and responsive to emerging issues. Timely communication and effective
collaboration are essential to achieving lasting, rights-based solutions.
Below is a summary of last week’s key
developments that we invite you to review and actively involved in the
collective pursuit of human rights and justice.
NATIONAL UPDATES
NEW FINANCIAL YEAR KICKS OFF: HUNTER
AND HUNTED TUSSLE BEGINS
In the financial year starting today,
the government plans to collect Shs 37.2 trillion in domestic revenue to
finance about 60 percent of the national budget, while the rest of the fund
will be financed through borrowing and grants.
Source:
MUSEVENI SIGNS NINE KEY FINANCIAL
BILLS INTO LAW AS NEW FINANCIAL YEAR BEGINS
President Museveni has signed into law
nine critical bills aimed at enhancing Uganda’s domestic revenue collection,
trade regulation, and budget implementation as the country enters the new
fiscal year. These included the Value Added
Tax (Amendment) Act, 2025; Stamp Duty (Amendment) Act, 2025; Excise Duty
(Amendment) (No.2) Act, 2025; Tax Procedures Code (Amendment) Act, 2025; Supplementary
Appropriation Act, 2025; Hides and Skins (Export Duty) (Amendment) Act, 2025; External
Trade (Amendment) Act, 2025; and the Appropriation Act, 2025.
Source:
US TO DENY VISAS TO UGANDANS SEEKING
'BIRTH TOURISM
The US Mission in Uganda has issued a
statement warning Ugandans planning to travel to the United States for the
primary purpose of giving birth, stating that such practices are considered
“birth tourism’’ and are not permitted under US Immigration Policy.
Source:
UGANDA MULLS FREE ACCESS TO SHS103M
HIV PREVENTION DRUG INJECTION
The Ministry of Health is assessing a
new biannual HIV prevention injection for inclusion in essential medicines,
with the goal of providing free acess, the Aids Commission has indicated.
Source:
GOVT SUSPENDS VEHICLE INSPECTION
EXERCISE AMID EPS CONTROVERSY
The government has suspended the
reintroduction of the mandatory motor vehicle inspection exercise that was
scheduled to begin today, citing ongoing stakeholder consultations and
operational readiness concerns.
Source:
UGANDA PRESSED TO PRIORITISE HEALTH,
HUMAN RIGHTS IN SDG3 PUSH
With just five years to years to go
until the 20230 deadlines for achieveing sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3),
health activists are urging the Ugandan government to accelerate efforts to
promote healthy living.
Source:
CONVERT WEDDING CASH INTO FACTORIES,
SAY KOREANS
South Korean government officials have
advised Ugandans to adopt a production- driven mindset by channeling resources
spent on lavish weddings, parties and bars into building factories that can
drive export led economic growth.
Source:
MASAKA LAWYERS END STRIKE AFTER
JUDICIARY PLEDGES VISITING JUDGES
Lawyers operating in the Greater
Masaka Sub-region have called off their industrial action following a
commitment from the Judiciary to deploy visiting judges and increase court
sessions to ease the case backlog.
Source:
KAWEMPE
NORTH MP SAYS HIGH COURT ERRED IN LAW
Kawempe
North Member of Parliament Erias Luyimbazi Nalukoola has filed an appeal before
the court of Appeal challenging the nullification of his parliamentary victory.
Source:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/video/kawempe-north-mp-says-high-court-erred-in-law-5103426
IRON
SHEETS CASE: NANDUTU TO START DEFENCE
Former
Karamoja affairs state minister Agness Nandutu, who is accused of diverting
iron sheets meant for the Karamoja region,is scheduled to start defending
herself.
Source:
https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/news/iron-sheets-case-nandutu-to-start-defence-NV_213818
REGIONAL UPDATES
DETAINED CHADIAN OPPOSITION LEADER
SUCCÈS MASRA ENDS HUNGER STRIKE
Chadian opposition leader and former
Prime Minister Succès Masra, who has been in detention since mid-May, has ended
his hunger strike after about a week of fasting.
Source:
TANZANIAN PROFESSOR, MOHAMED JANABI,
ASSUMES OFFICE AS WHO AFRICA REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Professor Mohamed Janabi of Tanzania
has officially taken office as the new Regional Director for Africa at the
World Health Organisation (WHO), following his election in May 2025.
Source:
101 DEAD IN EASTERN CAPE FLOODS AS RESCUE
EFFORTS CONTINUE
The official death toll in
South Africa's devastating floods remains unclear as rescue efforts for missing
people continue in the Eastern Cape province.
Source:
NIGERIA’S PETER OBI TO CONTEST 2027
ELECTION, OPPOSITION COALITION IN JEOPARDY
Former presidential
candidate Peter Obi has confirmed that he will run in Nigeria’s 2027 election
while rejecting a joint ticket with fellow ADA-alliance member Atiku Abubakar.
Source:
INTERNATIONAL UPDTES
TRUMP GLOBAL AID CUTS RISK 14 MILLION
DEATHS IN FIVE YEARS, REPORT SAYS
President Donald Trump's move to cut
most of the US funding towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause more than
14 million additional deaths by 2030, according to research published in The
Lancet medical journal.
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2jjpm7zv8o
THAI PRIME MINISTER SUSPENDED OVER
LEAKED PHONE CALL
Thailand's Constitutional
Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a leaked phone call with
former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. In the call, Paetongtarn referred to Hun Sen
as "uncle" and criticized a Thai military commander, triggering
public outrage and a petition demanding her removal. The court is currently reviewing
the petition.
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vrrj72xy7o
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT HIT WITH
CYBER SECURITY ATTACK
The International Criminal Court (ICC)
suffered a sophisticated cyberattack last week, which has since been contained.
An impact assessment is underway, though it’s unclear if any sensitive data was
compromised. This is the second major breach after 2023, amid the ICC’s
high-profile cases involving leaders like Vladimir Putin and Benjamin
Netanyahu.
Source:
WEEK'S ANALYSIS
1. The new financial year and the President’s
signing into law of nine financial related Bills reveal the existing economic
realities. As Ugandans brace themselves to journey ahead, it is important to
mark the national budget carefully and live within our means recalling that
there is continuing reduction in donor funding and support. It verily implies
that emphasis shall be placed on local or domestic revenue thereby calling on
all stakeholders to cooperate in raising as much money as possible to fuel the
budget.
2. There is strength in voice(s). Recent
campaigns against and the subsequent suspension of the Automated Express
Penalty System bring to light the power of the masses to speak up and refuse
exploitative policies and enactments.
3. Whereas investments are crucial, one
wonders why many Ugandans continue to spend large sums of money on social
gatherings/events. The urge by South Koreans to Ugandans to invest wedding cash
in factories could be a good piece of advice but we think it goes beyond that. A
study could be done to deepen one’s understanding of social behavior visa vis
economic pursuit. It could be in the way society is set up and for the sake of social
cohesion and togetherness.
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Africans-spend-money-on-marriage-than-the-Western-world
4. The strike by Masaka Lawyers over case
backlog is an issue that shouldn’t skip the mind while crafting solutions to
existing challenges within the country https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/case-backlog-on-rise-due-to-incomplete-investigations--5051090.
It is the desire of every Ugandan and practicing lawyer to see that when cases
go to court, they should be expeditiously dealt with. Equipping the judiciary
with adequate resources including human resource as one of the proposals shall
play a big role in ensuring that cases are dealt with in record time. Article
28(1)(b) and the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 guarantee timely
hearings.
5. Opposition leader Succès Masra’s
hunger strike over arbitrary detention highlights due process concerns. Chad’s
Constitution (Articles 22–24) and ICCPR (Articles 9, 14) apply. Constitutional Rights Project v. Nigeria
(2000) underscores the right to fair treatment.
6. The Trump-era and administration came
with a “bang” and subsequent aid cuts continue to depress and stress many
people especially those whose life and livelihood depended entirely on support
from the American people. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights affirms the duty to protect health rights. We could also look
at Ugandan scenarios such as the one expressed in Centre for Health v. AG (Uganda, 2015) where court
upheld state responsibility for public health. This comes at a cost but we
believe it is worth the investment rather than the denial.
THANKS FOR
READING. LET US KEEP THE DISCUSSION MOVING.
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