HRCU WEEKLY UPDATE AND ANALYSIS | 18TH TO 24TH AUGUST 2025
Greetings to Our Valued Human Rights Defenders and Partners,
The Human Rights Centre
Uganda (HRCU) continues to share with you, valuable information in relation to
human rights promotion and protection in Uganda.
As children enjoy their
holidays, Uganda Police Force has a message or guidance on child protection
This can be accessed via: https://upf.go.ug/guidance-on-child-protection-during-august-2025-holidays/
In the face of both enduring
and emerging challenges, we call upon all stakeholders to remain vigilant,
actively engaged, and united in purpose. Transparent communication and
sustained, meaningful collaboration are not just important they are essential
to forging lasting, rights-based solutions that truly serve our communities.
Below is a concise summary
of last week’s key developments in the human rights landscape. We are deeply
grateful for your continued dedication, resilience, and shared commitment to
building a just, inclusive, and rights-respecting society for all.
NATIONAL UPDATES
INSIDE UGANDA-US DEAL ON UNWANTED
MIGRANTS
Uganda has agreed to accommodate a yet to be specified
number of migrants from other African countries deported from the United States
as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
Source:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/inside-uganda-us-deal-on-unwanted-migrants-5162078
CONSTITUTIONAL
COURT DISMISSES PETITION AGAINST DIVORCE ACT
The Constitutional Court has
dismissed a petition challenging key provisions of the Divorce Act, rejecting a
proposed shift to a "consent withdrawal" model in which parties would
no longer need to prove grounds for divorce. However, the Court partially
allowed the petition by declaring that property distribution rules under the
Act must apply equally to both spouses, striking down discriminatory
provisions.
Source:
JUDGE DECLINES TO STEP ASIDE IN
SSEMAKADDE’S BID TO HALT 2-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE
High
Court judge Joyce Kavuma has declined to step aside from hearing in application
by Uganda Law Society (ULS) president Isaac Ssemakadde,who is seeking to stay
execution of a two-year prison sentence handed to him for contempt of court.
Source:
KIZZA BESIGYE, AIDE LUTALE TREASON CASE HEARING DATE
SET
The
High Court in Kampala says it will, on September 1st,2025 start
hearing a case in which four- time presidential candidate Kizza Besigye and his
aide Hajji Obeid Lutale, are accused of treason.
Source:
https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/news/kizza-besigye-aide-lutale-treason-case-hearin-NV_216820
JUSTICE BAGUMA
REFUSES TO STEP DOWN FROM BESIGYE CASE
A High Court judge in Kampala has dismissed a
request by lawyers representing jailed opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye to
recuse himself from presiding over the upcoming treason trial, scheduled to
begin in September, citing lack of merit.
Source:
KAMPALA AMONG CITIES WITH WORST AIR
POLLUTION IN AFRICA
Increasingly, Kampala is
among the cities that face the worst air pollution levels on the Continent. The
concentration of fine particulate matter in the air is much higher than the
World Health Organisation recommended average, a situation that is giving
concerned residents sleepless nights.
Source:
GOVERNMENT SLASHES FREE POWER CONNECTION
COSTS TO SHS30,000
Energy Minister Ruth
Nankabirwa is urging Ugandans to take advantage of the free electricity connections
programme, where households now pay only 30,000 shillings for inspection
instead of the previous 720,000 shillings. This is part of the World
Bank–funded Rural Electrification Scale-up Project.
Source:
REGIONAL UPDATES
ISIL-BACKED
REBELS KILLED AT LEAST 52 PEOPLE IN EASTERN DR CONGO, UN SAYS
Rebels
backed by ISIL (ISIS) have killed at least 52 civilians in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
this month, according to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) in
the country, as both the DRC army and Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group accuse
each other of violating a recently reached US-mediated ceasefire deal.
Source:
MORE
THAN 40 MISSING AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES IN NIGERIA’S SOKOTO
Rescuers are
searching for more than 40 people who are missing after a boat capsized in
Nigeria’s northwestern state of Sokoto, according to authorities.
Source:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/18/more-than-40-missing-after-boat-capsizes-in-nigerias-sokoto
BURKINA
FASO DECLARES UN COORDINATOR PERSONA NON GRATA
Burkina
Faso has declared United Nations regional coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak
persona non grata over a U.N. report alleging violations against children in
the West African country, a government spokesperson said on Monday.
Source:
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES
NEW ZEALAND MP SUSPENDED OVER GAZA CALLS FOR ACTION
New Zealand Green Party co-leader
Chloe Swarbrick says public pressure is mounting on governments to end what she
calls Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The politician continues to push for
recognition of Palestinian statehood and sanctions on Israel, despite being
ejected from Parliament for her remarks.
Source:
ISRAEL KILLS 26 IN
GAZA AS HAMAS APPROVES CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL
Hamas has informed mediators it has
approved a Gaza ceasefire proposal that includes a 60-day truce. Meanwhile,
Israeli attacks killed at least eight people in Khan Younis and four in Deir
el-Balah, targeting tents sheltering displaced people.
Source:
WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS SPAIN AND
PORTUGAL AS RECORD AREA OF LAND BURNED
Thousands
of firefighters, soldiers, and aircraft are battling over 20 major wildfires in
western Spain, where a record amount of land has burned. Spain and Portugal
have been severely affected by fires driven by heatwaves and drought linked to
climate change.
Source:
WEEK'S ANALYSIS
1. The
Constitutional Court’s dismissal of the petition challenging the Divorce Act
underscores the judiciary’s respect for legislative authority in family law
matters. While the petition raised valid concerns about gender equality in
property rights upon divorce, the court affirmed that such reforms fall within
Parliament’s remit, consistent with the doctrine of separation of powers. This
aligns with case law such as Attorney General versus Uganda Law Society
(1993), which stresses legislative primacy in policy matters. The court’s
approach balances social reform needs with constitutional safeguards on
equality and non-discrimination.
2. In
refusing to recuse herself in Ssemakadde’s attempt to halt a two-year jail
sentence, the judge highlighted the delicate balance between ensuring judicial
impartiality and avoiding unnecessary delays in justice delivery. The right to
a fair trial, protected under Article 28 of the Ugandan Constitution, demands
impartial adjudication, but recusal is warranted only when a real likelihood of
bias exists, per R versus Sussex Justices (1924). This decision reflects the
judiciary’s commitment to uphold procedural fairness while maintaining judicial
efficiency.
3. The
setting of trial dates for Kizza Besigye and aide Lutale’s treason case marks a
critical phase in ensuring due process for politically sensitive prosecutions.
The constitutional right to a fair and public hearing (Article 28) is
paramount, and moving such cases to civilian courts supports transparency and
adherence to rule of law principles. However, vigilance is necessary to guard
against politicization, as established in Uganda Human Rights Commission versus Attorney General (2004), which emphasizes the judiciary’s role as a
protector of fundamental freedoms.
4.
Kampala’s ranking among cities with the worst
air pollution in Africa raises urgent environmental and public health concerns,
implicating the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment under Article
39 of the
Ugandan Constitution. This situation demands enhanced regulatory enforcement
and sustainable urban planning.
5. Demonstrating
a commitment to inclusive development, the government's initiative to reduce
electricity connection fees to Shs30,000/= constitutes a progressive step
toward the realization of socio-economic rights. This aligns with the
principles established in Gorgi versus State (2017), which reaffirmed the state's
obligation to ensure equitable access to essential services as a fundamental
aspect of constitutional socio-economic rights.
6. Burkina
Faso’s declaration of a UN coordinator as persona non grata highlights the
ongoing tensions between state sovereignty and international diplomatic norms.
This action, while within sovereign rights under the Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations (1961), underscores challenges in international
cooperation and humanitarian efforts.
7. In a democratic context, the suspension of a
New Zealand Member of Parliament over controversial Gaza-related remarks
illustrates the complex balance between freedom of expression and parliamentary
conduct. Section 14 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 affirms the
constitutional right to freedom of expression. However, this right is not
absolute within parliamentary settings. The Standing Orders of the New Zealand
Parliament provide a framework for maintaining institutional integrity and
accountability.
8. The recent escalation in Gaza, resulting in
26 deaths despite Hamas approving a ceasefire, highlights the severe human cost
of ongoing conflict. International humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Conventions (1949)
and Common Article 3,
requires the protection of civilians during armed conflict. UN Security Council
resolutions further emphasize the obligation to safeguard non-combatants. While
the ceasefire offers hope for peace, strict adherence to these laws is
essential to protect human rights and prevent further violence.
THANKING YOU FOR READING. TILL NEXT
WEEK!
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