Members of Parliament have demanded a statement from the government on the sporadic attacks on different Police stations across the country.

Raising on a matter of procedure during plenary on Thursday, 24 November 2022 Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu, demanded that government provides a comprehensive statement on the continued attacks on the Police stations.

According to Ssewungu, the attacks are getting out of hand, and yet government has not brought the matter to rest.

“These people who attack take guns and everything – but the information we have heard from the Deputy IGP is that he knows these people but he is not arresting them and the vice is continuing,” he said.

According to Ssewungu, the Minister of Internal Affairs needs to give a statement on the matter, as it can bring disharmony in the country and destabilise security.

The Government Chief Whip, Denis Obua, condemned the attacks and said the security forces were investigating the attacks.  “Today can be a Police post but tomorrow may be your residence or my residence and so we need to condemn it because we believe in peaceful means,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa guided that the Minister of Internal Affairs makes a statement on 30 November 2022 on the sporadic attacks.

There have several attacks by armed persons on Police installations where the attackers target guns.

On November 23, suspected armed criminals attempted to raid Nakulabye Police station in Kampala.

On Wednesday, 23 November 2022, two guns and a radio call were stolen from in Mbale district when unknown thugs broke into Bungokho Police station.

Over 11 guns are yet to be recovered following the many attacks over the past months.

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Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has launched an Application to ease access to information, filing complaints and location of the regional office.

The development of the App was triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic which showed the essence of digital innovation which took over all forms of communication. During the pandemic, the country recorded over 1,000 cases of human rights violations and abuses however there were no modes to file cases since President Yoweri Museveni had placed imposed restrictions on the transport sector.

Speaking at the launch in Bugolobi, Mariam Wangadya, the chairperson of UHRC, said the App is a demonstration of their forward steps in the quest to enhance the protection and promotion of human rights. The commission is alive to the fact that digitization is transforming the manner in which information is disseminated and received, allowing real-time virtual sharing of information.

“We have faith in the benefits that the UHRC APP will bring to our service delivery and to the enjoyment of human rights generally. Its real-time information exchange and engagement,” she said.

She said the Apps were pioneered largely by businesses however there are increasingly seeing how critical they are for information on human rights to enable citizens to enjoy their rights, defend and claim them when violated.

She appealed to the government to pay critical attention to other aspects that enable the enjoyment of human rights for example affordability and accessibility in rural areas of the country.

“UHRC has in place a number of digital tools in addition to other statutory government systems. These, plus social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram give the commission a wider reach,” she said.

“We are living in times when the internet has comprehensively changed the communication dynamics because information can now be shared in real-time. With the internet’s virtual reach, the hitherto barrier to information-sharing caused by physical distances is no more,” she said.

Minister of State for National Guidance Kabbyanga Godfrey Baluku said UHRC app will ease sharing of information, for example, people in Mubende can’t move and there are human rights violations going on, and with this app, they can report all these violations.

“Right now, what the people of Mubende and Kasanda need is a service like this UHRC APP since they cannot physically walk to the UHRC offices to present their human rights issues for handling,” he said.

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The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a Social Finance Model to fight against Child Labour in Uganda

According to the latest National Labour Force Survey (NLFS) 2021, released last week by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), a total of 26.72 million children aged 5-17 years were engaged in some form of child labour excluding household chores in 2020.

A survey conducted by UBOS 2021 indicates that the largest share of this Child labour is prevalent in the Agriculture sector where children are employed as unpaid family workers. 19.5 percent of children in rural areas are engaged in child labour compared to 11.3 percent in urban areas

“The ACCEL Africa Project is thus proposing a new Social Finance Model to combat this abuse and exploitation of children. In Uganda, the ACCEL Africa Project is targeted towards the Tea and Coffee supply chains with activations on strengthening livelihoods, raising awareness of child labour, integrating measures to eliminate child labour into economic activities, and providing access to financial and non-financial services,” Joost Van Ettro, the head of cooperation at the Emassy of Netherlands said.

He said the Social Finance Model is a comprehensive package of services whose design and delivery models put into consideration backstops to mitigate against unintended social risks of financial services including child labour. Business models designed include operational structures, training of field agents, incentive schemes, communication to farmers, digital solutions as well as creating awareness on child labour amongst services providers, like those from the financial sector, to mitigate against social risks in their product design.

The ACCEL Africa project is being implemented in six districts including Kikuube, Hoima, Buikwe, Mbale, Sironko, Bulambuli and Kabarole. The project is currently supporting more than 32000 beneficiaries both women and men as well as 41500 children from these households.

“ILO Social Finance Model is a concrete solution to implement priorities of the Uganda National Action Plan for Elimination of Child Labour, reduce poverty and improve livelihoods and mainstream child labour into other policies like National Financial Inclusion Strategy.  We are exploring synergies with the Financial Sector to play an active role in the fight against child labour,” Amongi Betty Ongom, the minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development said.

She said the Government is taking a zero-tolerance stance towards child labour through the respect for international labour standards, implementation and enforcement of the national labour laws and policies on elimination of child labour.

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Speke Resort Munyonyo has been nominated for the 2022 Ekkula Tourism Award under the category of Best Luxury and Business Hotel.

A beautiful and luxurious resort seated on the shores of Lake Victoria, it is part of Ruparelia Group of Companies which is owned by businessman Sudhir Ruparelia.

Ekkula is a Ugandan local word implying Pearl. The Ekkula Pearl of Africa Tourism Awards are a privately funded effort that is passionate about increasing travel by yearly teaching, honoring, and rewarding important tourism industry stakeholders.

Tourism Awards is an activity where stakeholders in the tourism industry are recognised and awarded accordingly.

Ekkula PAT Awards and Exhibition is an annual activity that Researches, Nominates, Exhibits, Recognises and Awards those that selflessly put Uganda’s tourism to admirable heights. These include both Ugandans and non-Ugandans.

Due to COVID-19 limitations, the awards are currently in their fifth edition after a two-year hiatus.

The award ceremony, with the theme “Rethinking Tourism and Promotion of Green Initiatives,” will take place on December 1, 2022, at the Sheraton Hotel.

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Sheema District Local Government has petitioned the Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation over the mismanagement of the Silkworm project at Rubare Farm.

While meeting the committee chaired by Remigio Achia on Wednesday, 23 November 2022 at Parliament, the district officials led by Sheema LCV Chairperson, Jemimah Tumwijukye Buhanda, blamed the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNSCT) for failing to supervise the project.

In 2017, Sheema District signed a grant-funded Memorandum of Understanding with UNSCT to set up a commercialised sericulture (silkworm farming) project at Rubare Farm.

However, the district leadership has faulted UNSCT for ‘irregularly’ appointing a private firm, Tropical Institute of Development Innovations (TRIDI) as the project manager, whom they have accused of mismanagement, exploitation and fraud.

“It was alleged that UNSCT designated TRIDI as per section 3.1 of the MoU as the Project Manager. However, neither UNSCT nor TRIDI has ever provided to the District proof that TRIDI was designated to work on the behalf of the district and UNSCT. There is also no document on terms and conditions under which TRIDI was supposed to work,” Tumwijukye said.

According to Tumwijukye, the project manager-TRIDI has no capacity to sustainably develop the project.

“The District Monitoring and Evaluation Team found out that the project performance was at 21 per cent which is far below the acceptable performance level,” she said.

TRIDI is also accused of breaching the profit-sharing clause and improper management of mulberry leaf gardens which silkworms feed on.

In their recommendations, the district wants the services of TRIDI terminated immediately and UNSCT under the Office of the President Secretariat takes over the station. They also want the project to be handed over to Sheema District for project management.

Dr Joshua Isiko, who represented the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation told the committee that whereas UNSCT does not have any legal instrument to legitimise their dealings with the project manager, the secretariat is waiting for guidance from Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, over the same project.

“We do not have any document introducing TRIDI to Rubare Farm. We only have the MoU between UNSCT and Sheema District…But a report has been submitted to the Prime Minister and her response will guide us on the next step, however, we do not want to terminate this project,” Isiko said.

Abim District MP Janet Okori-Moe echoed that the silk project is a game changer with immense benefits to the community if put to good use. “We the ladies are interested in this project. We would not be buying silk gomesi [colourful floor-length dress] from Dubai if this project was up and running,” she said.

Persons With Disabilities Representative, Alex Ndeezi, supported the recommendation of government to terminate the ‘contract’ with TRIDI and if possible sign a new MOU with clear terms of preference.

The committee chairperson said they would interface with TRIDI and the Minister of Science. He decried the continued blocking of Sheema district officials from inspecting and monitoring the project.

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