The International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court has set the date for delivering its ruling former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander, Thomas Kwoyelo.

The panel of judges led by Andrew Bashaija, Stephen Mubiru, Michael Elubu, and Duncan Gaswaga will deliver their ruling on July 12, following the hearing of the matter.

Kwoyelo, who emerged as the first witness, revealed that the top commanders of the rebel group were soldiers of former President Tito Okello, whom President Yoweri Museveni ousted.

He told the court that the former soldiers were in charge of training abductees and planning attacks. The abducted children did so because they would not consider escaping or recall directions to return home.

According to Juliet Harty Hatanga, the ICD deputy registrar, the closure of the defense hearing is a significant milestone. She noted that the defense will submit their written submission on May 25 ahead of the court ruling.

Kwoyelo’s trial resumed on April 17, 2023, at the International Crimes Division of the High Court (ICD) sitting at Gulu High Court in Gulu City, Northern Uganda; however, it stalled due to a lack of funds.

Having commenced the trial on September 24, 2018, the court had its first prosecution witnesses testify in March 2019, and since then, trial sessions have been held periodically between Kampala and Gulu.

Kwoyelo is grappling with 78 of the 93 counts of murder, aggravated robbery, extensive destruction of property, causing serious injury to body or health, and inhumane treatment, rape, and torture, among others, that he is alleged to have committed against the civilian population of northern Uganda, southern Sudan, and the northeastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Kwoyelo was abducted by the LRA on his way to school in 1987, remained in captivity, and later became a colonel.

The worst attack of the paramilitary group that was under the leadership of Joseph Kony occurred in Haute-Hele Province (DRC) in December 2008, the so-called Christmas massacre, where over 200 people were killed and over 800 houses razed down.

The rebels split up into groups to attack the villages of Faradje, Batande, Duru, Bangadi, and Burgi. They waited until people had gathered for Christmas festivities, then surrounded and killed them with axes, machetes, and clubs.

In March 2009, Kwoyelo was injured during hostilities between the Ugandan army and the LRA in the DRC and brought into Uganda for medical treatment and subsequently into custody.

His trial, however, commenced in July 2011. Before ICD, a division of Uganda’s High Court Constitutional Court resolved that the suspect’s trial should stop as it found grounds for the failure by the DPP and the Amnesty Commission to act on Kwoyelo’s application. In 2015, the Supreme Court decided that Kwoyelo’s trial should resume.

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The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has tasked the Government prioritize the plight of Ugandans who are affected by floods and also put in place measures to mitigate floods in Uganda’s lowlands while considering watershed management, Flood-resistant infrastructure, Early warning systems, Climate-smart agriculture and community education.

This comes as thousands of people have been displaced and hundreds of homes destroyed by the floods, food crops and plantations gardens submerged which have also caused significant damage to infrastructure while the government has been very slow in providing relief supplies and assistance to affected communities, leading to frustration and anger among many affected areas.

“These strategies will help protect and restore wetlands, forests, and water sources to reduce runoff and absorb excess water. The flood-resistant infrastructure will lead to building flood-resistant homes, roads, and bridges to minimize damage,” FDC wrote in a statement.

FDC added that the government should also implement policies that prioritize flood risk management and climate change adaptation. And more so promote farming practices that adapt to changing weather patterns and reduce soil erosion.

Last week, heavy rainfall caused devastating mudslides in Kasese and Bunyangabu Districts in Western Uganda.

FDC noted that the mudslides have resulted into the tragic death of 7 people and displaced hundred from their homes. The victims were mostly women and children. Four women from the same family in Bunyangabu’s Buruma village Katebwa Sub county lost their lives when their house was completely buried by mudslide.

However, 2 weeks ago, heavy rains and hailstorm devastated the people of Kituntu Sub county and Kayabwe Town Council all in Mpigi District, where two children from the same household lost their lives as a result of the heavy rains and hailstorm that blew off rooftop of the house.

Equally, in Kalungu District, two weeks ago, heavy rains destroyed people’s houses, several acres of farm land leaving several crop gardens submerged and roads and bridges were washed away. Areas that were affected are; Nabutongwa, Lwabenge, Lukaya Town Council among others.

In Dokolo District, two weeks ago, torrential rains, coupled with the high rising levels of water from Lake Kwania are causing havoc in sub counties of Adeknino, Kwera,Kanga, Okwongdul  and Agwata Town Councils where hundreds of people living on shores of Lake Kwania were displaced by floods. Some roads in the area are impassable while many people have abandoned their farm land.

“We in the FDC commiserate with the families of Ugandans who were affected especially those who lost their lives in the countrywide mudslide. We are concerned with the way the Government is handling the recent floods in different parts of the country,” FDC noted.

The party added, “The government through the Office of Prime Minister being slow to respond to the disaster and failing to provide adequate support to affected communities. The government’s response to the floods has been inadequate and ineffective and that the President Museveni’s government has been “missing in action” during the crisis.”

FDC believes that the government is not doing enough to prevent the floods, despite warnings from meteorologists and other experts. Adding, “We in the FDC think that by Implementing these measures can help reduce the impact of floods in Uganda’s lowlands and protect communities and ecosystems.

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Yusuf Kiranda, the Makerere University Secretary has protested government’s decision to implement Shs25.9 billion budget cuts on the institution’s budget, saying the decision is likely to affect the quality of services the University will offer in 2024/25.

Kiranda made the remarks while interfacing with MPs on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) at the University premises, where he appealed to MPs to ensure that the decision is reversed because most of the items whose budget was reduced are those directly consumed by students.

His remarks were ahead of discussions on the December 2023 Auditor General’s report on Makerere University.

“Part of the funding for which the budget was cut was for services for which students pay tuition or functional fees like; graduation, internship, industrial training and when the money is cut, it means we will not be able to give our students value for money for the fees they pay to us. But it is also affecting other activities including utility bills like water, electricity and internet. Unless these budget cuts are addressed, and reversed, we can no longer guarantee high quality training for which Makerere University is known for,” said Kiranda.

Kiranda warned that if the decision on budget cuts is not reversed, the subsequent audits may report underperformance on the side of Makerere University due to having a significant part of the University’s budget taken away noting, “I am not aware of any other public University that has suffered budget cuts as Makerere University.”

In 2023/24 Makerere University was allocated Shs372.186 billion but, the University’s budget is expected to drop to Shs353.99 billion in 2024/25 of which, Wages will cost Shs208.970 billion, non-wage She129.642 billion, while the Development budget is to a tune of Shs15.372 billion.

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Uganda Prisons Service has flagged off its Netball Club to the East African Netball Club Championship, set to take place in Dar Es Salam City, Tanzania.

The team was flagged off by Mr. Frank Baine, SCP (Deputy Director CCA/Service Spokesperson) at Prisons Headquarters in Kampala.

Mr. Baine, speaking on behalf of the CGP Johnson Byabashaija emphasized the importance of discipline, teamwork and consistency both on and off the court.

He urged the coaches to adopt a game-by-game strategy to win and pave the way for the team to emerge victorious.

Mr. Baine cautioned them to avoid making simple mistakes that could cost them, as they did in the previous encounter in Nairobi last year where they lost to bitter rivals NIC. He pledged Uganda Prisons continued support for development of sports at domestic and international levels.

Team Captain, Christine Namulumba Kango assured that the team is prepared both mentally and physically to compete in the upcoming campaign and extended gratitude to the top leadership of Uganda Prisons for their continuous support of the netball team.

Christine pledged that the players will compete at the highest level to emerge victorious despite the tournament pulling tough opponents from many countries

The team is seeking to build on their recent success in the National Netball League where they emerged champions for a fourth time.

Team Manager, Ms. Florence Amono, ASP expressed the team’s readiness for the tournament, citing their extensive training in all technical aspects of the sport. She thanked the CGP for the timely facilitation and unending support throughout their quest for glory.

The Prisons Netball Club has a rich history of success, having won the Uganda National Netball League four times and East African Netball Club Championship twice. The team is determined to add to their trophy cabinet and make a mark in the contingent.

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Speaker of Parliament Anitah Among has welcomed His Excellence, Sasayama Takuya, the new Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, saying his appointment comes at the time Uganda is grappling with the devastating effects of climate change, where floods have washed away roads & bridges, thus creating the need for infrastructural development support from Japan.

“Thank you for coming in at the time we need you most. This is the time we need you most, we have challenges in terms of climate changes where the roads have been swept off by water, where we need roads to be worked on, the schools to be worked on but because you have come in at the right time, we will be able to work together,” said Among.

She added, “Just yesterday, we talked about the Karuma Bridge in Northern Uganda, the bridge has had a problem but we know with your support, we will be able to support and see that the country you have been posted to and you will work in is going to be the country that will enjoy the benefits coming from Japan. We will continue collaborating in terms of trade, technological development and exchange, we know you are so far away in terms of technology, we would want to tap something from Japan in terms of technological development.”

Among also called for better collaboration between the Parliament of Japan and Parliament of Uganda in legislative matters where the two institutions can even enter into a Memorandum of Understanding so that the respective MPs can exchange knowledge in legislation and foster the continued development between the two nations.

“When you look at socio-economic development, most of the cars we use in Uganda come from Japan. Japan gets the market for cars in Uganda because we believe it is the Japanese cars that are good for our roads here in Uganda. We want to thank the appointing authority for sending you over to Uganda and as Parliament, we will give you unwavering support in the execution of your work while you are in Uganda. Uganda is a country you will never want to leave, when you come here, you will always want to live here,” Among said.

Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, His Excellence, Sasayama Takuya thanked Ugandans for the warm reception he received since coming to Uganda two months back and promised to ensure that the aid development from Japanese people to Uganda is evenly distributed across the country, as opposed to limiting it to Northern Uganda as has been in the past.

He also thanked the Speaker for the Parliamentary resolution that was recently passed, thanking Japan for the socio-economic development they have extended to Uganda through their body, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“I have already spent 2months here and I found the nature wonderful, kind people, and the friendship, I felt it already. And you have wonderful seasons in the year. Our assistance extended to our friend Uganda in various areas include; economic development, infrastructure, education, agriculture, medical, refugees, that we want to see not in one area but also balanced. You have an abundance of resources which are the young people who will reassure your country and hope for the next generation to come. My Government and my people would like to invest for the future generation as well,” said Takuya.

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