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Rights body expresses concern over escalating human rights abuses in Uganda

Gerald Businge — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 13:53:42 +0000

The National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in Uganda (NCHRD-U) has expressed concern over the escalation of human rights violations across 2019, specifically targeting Human Rights Defenders (HRDs). As we start the New Year – and a new decade – we wish to reflect on major incidents that shaped the year, available opportunities, and issue a call to action for the year 2020.

HRDs during press conference

This year precedes the year when Uganda will hold the general elections – 2021 general election. It, therefore, presents heightened political rights activity in the country as citizens and political actors seek to exercise their right to participate in political affairs.

During the process, HRDs play a crucial role to stand up for the human rights of others by informing, documenting, reporting, campaigning, monitoring electoral processes, and advocating for the respect of rights for all.

As we will highlight below, already indications of a charged atmosphere that ties in both state and non-state actors involved in the electoral processes are already forming. Over the last week, one presidential hopeful, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi (Kyadondo East MP) has been pre-occupied with running battles with the Uganda Police Force in an attempt to carry out his nationwide consultations.

During these running battles, actors such as Journalists, private citizens including children equally haven’t been spared with close to 16 journalists under attack in separate incidents in Kampala, Gulu and Lira.

Highlights of attacks on HRDs in 2019:

NGO break-ins continue unabated. In one of the incidents during the year, the offices of Doing Good, a Dutch women-led organisation in Bulange Zone A, Rubaga, Kampala was broken into on September 26, 2019, by unknown assailants.

At least 8 laptops, 9 mobile phones and a sum of Uganda Shillings 26m were stolen. In a meeting with the Minister of Internal Affairs Hon. Obiga Mario Kania on August 28, 2019, there was a commitment from the Uganda Police Force to release findings from investigations into the dozens of NGO office break-ins. To date, nothing has materialised.

HRDs’ right to assemble equally remains under attack. In one of the recent incidents in October 2019, when Makerere University students demonstrated against the university fees increment policy, police and other security forces violently clamped down on the peaceful assemblies that were largely led by female students.

Over 100 students were arrested and detained beyond 48 hours. Most of them were only released from police on orders of the court. Journalists who tried to cover the attacks and demonstrations were attacked by soldiers and beaten up. Teargas canisters were shot directly at journalists.

On November 4, 2019, in a demonstration to the police headquarters to protest brutality against journalists, 8 journalists were arrested in a brutal and demeaning manner. The arrests followed police interception of a peaceful protest in a bid to submit a petition against sustained attacks and brutality against journalists to the police leadership.

Over time, despite various engagements on the Public Management Order Act, the police continues to misapply this law to unfairly restrict legitimate assemblies of HRDs and other actors in complete disregard of the Constitution, the Act, and related decisions of the Constitutional Court.

HRDs also experienced illegitimate restrictions on the exercise of freedom of expression and press freedom. Most attacks were seen as a deliberate move by the perpetrators to cover up their unlawful acts. For instance, journalists were targeted for covering the Makerere University students protest.

Journalists and media houses were also targeted by the Uganda Communications Commission for covering the arrest of Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi.

On September 13, 2019, human rights lawyer Mr. Eron Kizza was summoned by the Media Crimes Division of the police to record a statement in a criminal investigation. The summons came on the backdrop of critical posts he had posted on his Facebook page protesting the conduct of a trial judge in a land case where he is representing over 3,000 people in a forced eviction case.

Human Rights Defenders and Elections:

Across 2020, HRDs working on elections faced numerous challenges in the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. In our 2019 report titled, “Democracy on Trial”, we extensively documented the pattern of human rights violations suffered by HRDs working in the context of elections in Uganda.

One of the on-going cases is the arrest of election monitors. On 10th July, 2019, William Anyolitho, the Executive Director of Life Concern Uganda (LICO-U) and the Board Chair of the Alliance for Election Campaign Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), and 3 other accredited election observers operating under ACFIM were condemned and ordered to apologise at a stakeholders meeting in Nebbi district for appearing on a local radio evening talk show to narrate their ordeal in police detention.

The observers were arrested in Erussi Sub County in Nebbi district on 8th July 2019 on the orders of the Electoral Commission for allegedly engaging in election observation activities without accreditation. They were detained for one night at Nebbi District Central Police Station.

After the closure of the notorious Nalufenya facility, no meaningful action was taken by police to ensure that perpetrators of torture at the facility are brought to justice. As a result, torture and incommunicado detention continued to be carried out in other ‘safe houses’ in Kampala, Wakiso and some Islands under the control of the various security forces. Many victims have recounted their torture ordeals in the facilities.

In September 2019, MPs on the parliamentary committee on human rights were blocked from accessing suspected ‘safe houses’ in Nkokonjeru, Kyengera, and Nalukolongo – generally described as secret torture sites used by Ugandan security forces.

Opportunities for a better operating environment for HRDs:

In 2019, the Human Rights (Enforcement) Act 2019 came into force. In 2020, HRDs across the country need to use the law to hold individual perpetrators to account in magistrates courts.

Avenues for dialogue, like we have seen happen last week between the Electoral Commission, Uganda Police Force, and Presidential hopeful Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi must be made available for various actors inclusive of HRDs for meaningful participation in the 2021 electoral process.

Across 2019, efforts to call for an HRD specific law gathered momentum with various initiatives. NCHRD-U and other strategic partners seeking a law for the protection of HRDs convened a national benchmarking meeting. If passed into law, this bill would advance the protection of HRDs in Uganda. In 2020, we will step up efforts towards the law.

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Finance Ministry presents National Budget Framework Paper 2020/2021 to Parliament.

Gerald Businge — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 08:37:52 +0000

Ministry of Finance on Wednesday 22 January presented the National budget framework paper (NBFP) for FY 2020/21 to FY 2024/25 to the Finance Committee of Parliament. The National BFP is prepared in fulfillment of section 9 of the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act 2015.

The Finance Minister Matia Kasaija

According to the NBFP, Uganda’s economy grew at 6.5% in real terms during FY 2018/19 and after rebasing of GDP, the size of the economy increased to Ushs 128.5 trillion up from the initial estimate of Ushs 108.5 trillion. Real GDP growth is projected at 6.3% and 6.2% in FY 2019/20 and FY 2020/21 respectively and is expected to reach 7.0% by FY 2024/25.

The overall focus of the budget strategy for FY 2020/21 is to address challenges hindering the speed of economic transformation, rural economic development, expansion of the industrial base, job growth and delivery of essential social services under the theme: “Sustainable Industrialization for inclusive growth, employment and wealth creation.”

The total resource envelope for FY 2020/21 is projected to be UShs. 39,640.8 billion (39.6 trillion) and it comprises of both domestic and external sources down from Ushs.40,487.9 billion (40.4 trillion). This is largely on account of reduction in external financing.

In order to ensure alignment of the budget to the objectives of the third National Development Plan, the interventions for FY 2020/21 will fall under strategic clusters namely: Increasing production and productivity in the productive sectors of the economy, enhancing private sector competitiveness as well as consolidation and increasing of the infrastructure stock.

Other clusters are: Improving social service provision and regional equity, improving the effectiveness of governance and maintaining peace and security.

The commitment towards debt sustainability will be through reducing reliance on debt by increasing domestic revenue through the operationalization of the domestic revenue mobilisation strategy (DRMS) among other measures.

As at end of June 2019, the stock of public debt amounted to US$ 12.55 billion of which external debt was US$8.35 billion (approx. Ushs 30.85 trillion) and domestic debt was US$ 4.2 billion (Ushs 15.51 trillion). This is equivalent to 36.1% of GDP in nominal terms and 27.3% in present value terms

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Churches postively impacting on women

Sarah Aanyu — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 14:03:55 +0000

It is interesting to go to church and get involved in the different programmes that have been set to make sure women are catered for. It is even more interesting to listen to women sharing their testimonies about the activities that happen in those groups in churches.

Female preachers take a group photo. Net Photo

Miriam Kanyago who serves as an usher and a choir member in Faith Mission in Nsambya comes to church early, leaves late and keeps busy while in church always something that prompts me to ask what drives her passion.

“This church has really transformed in and out,” she said almost passionately and continues, “I was a drunkard and drug addict who did not have where to sleep because all I cared about was getting money to buy the drugs and alcohol.”

She says she derives her strength to keep going from the message in the songs, which she has used to influence her friends, and they too have turned away from drugs and alcohol.

“There is a way church programs impact your life in every aspect because there are moral lessons for every kind of person in whatever they attend,” she says.

I spoke to other women to find out how they have been impacted by the different programmes in church.

Mothers union counselling programs

Joyce Waniala, a mother’s union member says this is one of the most active groups in churches because each church has wedded women who meet, get to know each other and discuss serious marriage issues.

She says this has mostly helped when it comes to the betterment of the marriage because women who attend them are counselled, they share their experiences and given some hands on skills that they put into practice to spice up their marriage.

Net photo

“There is always something knew I learn from our weekly sessions and this has helped me keep my marriage interesting since I keep trying out whatever we are told and adopt the behaviour that keeps me away from trouble with my spouse,” says Waniala.

With the counselling and encouragement that women get from one another, many marriages have been improved and kept because each time a woman feels like the marriage is not working out, the fellow women give her reasons to stay.

Fellowships

Rose Margret Katengeke, a teacher and counsellor at Pearl Africa says a fellowship is something she

cannot afford to miss and fact that they happen during lunch breaks, she can take her time off school to rush for a fellowship.

“These fellowships soothe my soul especially when I am burdened and I am tempted to do something drastic, I just leave and go to church because I know I will find comfort there,” says Katengeke.

She further says there is meeting many people who have different life stories is life inspiring and gives you a new life direction each day despite the ups and downs that you are going through you find time to counsel another one.

She affirms that fellowshipping sometimes turns into one’s lifestyle and defines who you are in the society you live in.

Charitable programmes

Constance Kana, a pastor at Faith Ministries says church has a lot to offer and she personally enjoys the charity drive initiative that the churches take part in.

“That is one of the active programme in church and we as women organise and make sure it happens so that the needy people are able to get what they need to at least live a comfortable life,” says Kana.

She says this does not only end in church because some women have made it part of them and have some personal ventures that they solicit for items to donate to those who need it.

On the other hand, Christine Shimanya, a chaplain in the Uganda parliament says charitable works is not only about helping the needy but also doing church cleaning, arranging chairs, ushering and many others that you can do to save the church from incurring expenses.

Choir practice

Kana narrates that choir practice is joined by many not only because of passion but also because they will get to interact with other people.

More to that, she says this is convenient for many because these practices usually take place in the evenings a time that finds many free so there is a good turn up.

Photo of women in church. Net Photo

“It is during these practices that the women interact with each other, get guidance and counselling that greatly helps them in running their daily lives,” says Kana.

She adds that this has kept women away from a lot of idle talks that have caused them problems with the people around them.

Confirmation

Christine Shimanya says most women are the ones who are directly involved when it comes to their children taking their confirmation classes.

She says this is very significant because it shows the children how important confirmation is basingon how involved their parents are in the whole process.

“Confirmation has enabled people raise their children in the righteous path due to the fact that they study confirmation which has very many teachings to learn from,” says Shimanya.

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MP Kenneth Lubogo asks government to address issue of striking lecturers

Brian Kisembo — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 09:51:47 +0000

Bulamogi County MP, Kenneth Lubogo raised his concerns on the government’s plan to stop strikes within public Universities in Uganda.

Lubogo while in parliament on Tuesday raised a matter of national importance in which he demanded to know what plans the government has to address the issues raised by the teachers in public universities.

“The strike is increasing the cost of maintaining students who aren’t learning. Some of these children are from poor families because they have to spend money to continue surviving. It also has an effect on the academic ranking of universities in this country as I speak, Makerere University which used to be the fifth on the African continent has dropped from fifth to about 16th,” Hon Lubogo noted.

At the beginning of this academic year, Last week, academic and non-teaching staff from all public universities in the country decides to go on site down strike until the government releases all due and outstanding funds for their salary enhancement amounting to Shs150Bn.

Rebecca Kadaga who is the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga directed the Minister of State for Higher Education, John Chrysestom Muyingo to today 14^th August 2019 update Parliament on the alleged strike of staff in public universities.

However, Hon Muyingo told Parliament that the Ministry was aware of the impending strike and says that there is an ongoing meeting in state house Entebbe to address the matter and has promised to address the country on the outcomes of the meeting.

‘It is true staff of academic and non-academic public universities have threatened to put down their tools as I talk right now, there is an important meeting taking place in State House trying to devise ways and means of addressing this issue and as soon as the meeting is done, the country will be informed’, the minister said.

Dr Grace Lubaale, Chairperson Forum for Academic Staff in Public Universities (FASPU), insisted that their planned strike would proceed as earlier planned until government releases all the money the staff are demanding in arrears and due payments.

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Bobi Wine Wins Prestigious Global Human Rights Award

Agnes Tumuheire — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 08:40:36 +0000

By Peter Victor Asaba

Bobi Wine(middle) during the OTT protests in Kampala: PHOTO COURTESY

The Kyadondo East legislator, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a.k.a BobiWine has scooped an international human rights award at the PUSH Coalition Annual Conference in Chicago , USA for the relentless fight against human rights abuses in Uganda.

Panelist including Momodou Jallow, a member of the Swedish parliament , Dr. Isabella Alexander a filmmaker and human rights activists , Rev. Dr. Ji-Sun Kim a Korean activist and associate professor of Theology , Daniel Gomez a Brazilian journalist and activist and Nasir Zakaria a director of the Rohingya Culture Centre in Chicago who were moderated by Dr. Ewa Ewa a state lawmaker couldn’t stop praising Hon. Kyagulanyi for his tremendous effort towards humanity .

‘’ Our people have endured gross human rights violation right from when we became an independent nation in 1962 . As I stand here today political opposition has been brutalized as members of the opposition are beaten , toured , arrested on trumped up charges and many disappear to never seen again ‘’ Hon. Kyagulanyi Said in his acceptance speech .

‘’Thousands of young people continue to rot in jail and others , and many people live in exile here in the United States of America’’ the people power leader added.

Mityana municipality legislator, Hon. Francis Zaake Mutebi who escorted Bobiwine said the award will motivate the fight against dictatorship in Uganda .

The global peace and human rights summit in Chicago started on June 28th and ended on July 2, 2019. It was organized by Rev. Jesse Jackson having the former US vice president Joe Bidenas a special guest .

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We need to create grassroots radio stations-Besigye

Brian Kisembo — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 11:37:50 +0000

Former Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Dr Col. Kizza Besigye has insisted that stopping him from reaching his people via radio stations won’t deter him from sending his message to people.

Besigye said this on Saturday while in Kitgum district after the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner, Mr Christopher Omara reportedly ordered his talk that was to take place on the Mighty Fire FM cancelled.

Besigye says that the party will do all what it takes to establish communication channels at the grass root level to pass the message to people and for easy coordination.

“We are now going to create our own radio stations within the community,” Dr Besigye said. “This is through networking with the locals and leaders at the grassroots. This grassroots radios will help us to pass information from bottom to top and vice versa; it is what the People’s Government is intending to do.”

“We need to establish our leaders’ network so that we don’t only rely on the radio stations. We cannot cause change if we don’t have coordination, we should have leaders from top to bottom, we need to stand up and rise against this government because power is in our hands,”Besigye added.

The four time Presidential candidate was accompanied by the FDC party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat and FDC national Mobiliser Ingrid Turinawe while in Kitgum.

The FDC party was on a move of opening a new office within Kitgum which was constructed by the Chua West County Member of Parliament, Mr Philip Okin Ojara.

While contacted by Daily Monitor in an interview, the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner, Mr Christopher Omara denied being behind the cancellation of a talk show that Besigye had planned to appear on.

“I think the station management didn’t want to host the FDC leaders because of reason they best know, I didn’t give them any directives,” he said.

Besigye has been on several occasions denied chance of talking to his people while on radio stations. Several radio stations in Kabale, Jinja and Mubende have been switched off for hosting him.

Tembo FM was switched off on Thursday after official from the FDC Party were passing a message to people of Besigye going to appear in the district on Saturday.

The FDC Presidential also said that President Museveni is already defeated and that’s why he moved from barracks to barracks country wide because he has no support of the army.

“Museveni is cornered, he is actually defeated, he no longer has the support of the army. That is the reason why you saw him moving in all the barracks around the country trying to convince soldiers by promising them better housing facilities, improved salaries. You cannot keep promising people for more than 30 years,” he said.

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We want Museveni’s seat but not in bad faith– Bobi Wine

Agnes Tumuheire — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 14:14:10 +0000

Kyadondo East Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Kyagulanyi populary known as Bobi Wine has revealed that he holds no grudge on president Yoweri Museveni.

Bobi Wine made this revelation while at the burial of Stella Njuba, the daughter of former Cabinet minister and FDC chairperson, Sam Kalega Njuba.

The musician confirmed that their(people power) intention is as clear as the other political parties, to take hold of the presidential seat.

“Let the generals know that we are not at war with them or even the president. Yes, we want his seat but not in bad faith. We don’t hate him, we have no problem with him,” Bobi Wine said.

Of late, Bobi Wine has had all his musical concerts cancelled by security officials who claim that the singer failed to reach minimum concert qualifications.

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Sacked Staff should Petition University Tribunal not Parliament- Prof Nawangwe

Agnes Tumuheire — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 11:11:26 +0000

Makerere University vice chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe has challenged the sacked staff to follow the right University protocol in following up with their case.

This comes a day after Parliament through the office of the Speaker on Wednesday received the petition from a section of staff requesting the house to set up a committee to investigate matter.

However, Nawangwe said the university tribunal was established by the University council and therefore only receives orders from the University and not Hon.Rebecca Kadaga.

“The staff who petitioned Parliament should have first read the university regulations that govern them. It was not right for the staff to run to parliament because they were supposed to first petition their staff tribunal which was established by the University Council instead of running to the Speaker of Parliament who is ever busy. Ruining to the Speaker instead of the university tribunal is part of the indiscipline I am talking about so this must end,” Prof Nawangwe said.

The professor also said the administration is ready to defend their stand even before the parliament.

Makerere University on December 22, 2018 sacked 45 staff over various reasons ranging from absconding from work, indiscipline, assault and financial fraud to insubordination, among others.

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President Museveni vows to confiscate property of all corrupt government officials

Brian Kisembo — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:32:24 +0000

President Museveni has vowed to enact a law of confiscating property of all government workers accused of corruption.

While addressing media houses on Monday at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, the President hinted that he will be in touch with the speaker of parliament aimed at bringing a law that will be discussed in parliament to fight corruption.

He also added that he will also have to engage with the Chief Justice to find way of curbing corruption in courts.

“We shall enact a law that allows us to confiscate property of government officers accused of corruption. I will talk to the Speaker and the Chief Justice to see how to fight corruption in Parliament and the Judiciary,” he said.

The President urged the public to coordinate with the newly State House Anti-Corruption Unit established to be headed by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema.

He accused a section of public servants particularly the Permanent Secretaries of different government ministries, town clerks, chief administrative officers, sub county chairpersons and parish chiefs of fueling corruption.

“Those public servants who think or feel they are tired of working and promoting integrity should leave. I’m not ready to continue dealing with them. Even the public is also tired of hearing stories about corrupt officers,” he said.

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Kadaga seeks cancellation of Makerere DVC appointments over gender discrimination

Agnes Tumuheire — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 07:10:09 +0000

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said the Makerere university DVC appointments manifest male domination: COURTESY PHOTO

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has advised Makerere University authorities to annul the recent deputy Vice Chancellor appointments over gender imbalance.

“I have realized that they are all men, so the entire leadership of Makerere University is skewed,” Kadaga said.

The speaker therefore tasked the Committee on Education and Sports to analyse the University decision and guide on how best the can revoke the appointments.

“This is really perpetuating an imbalance; there are very many structure and institutional imperfections within the university that make it difficult for highly qualified women serving the university to compete and take up these leadership positions,” She said.

The University Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma basing on the recommendation from the University Council, had Last week, appointed Dr Umar Kakumba and Prof. William Bazeyo as the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs and Finance and Administration respectively.

Dr Kakumba replaced Prof Ernest Okello Ogwang while Prof Bazeyo replaces Prof Edward Kirumura following his appointment as Head of South Africa’s Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study.

The speaker also spotted unfairness in managerial role distribution as the 27 top positions at the university; from the college principals to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and up to the President are occupied by men.

“This is in contradiction to the constitution and Principal No. 11 of the national objectives and principals of the state which requires the state to recognise the significant role women play in our country,” the Speaker said.

It is on this grounds that Kadaga saw a need for “better participation and equity.”

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