The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) said they have arrested two suspects following the death of a soldier in an attack on Gadaffi barracks in Jinja.

The army identified the deceased as Sergeant Simon Peter Eyagu. Sgt Eyagu was deployed together with Lance corporal (L/Cpl) Norico Kibirige to guard a small gate of Ambercourt road, with in the perimeter of Gadaffi barracks.

“Last evening an Attack occurred on our Soldiers guarding at Ambercourt road close to Gadaffi barracks at 2050hrs leading to the death by strangling and shooting of RA/110575 Sgt Eyagu Simon Peter, a UPDF soldier attached to Gadaffi Barracks Jinja Cantonment while his colleague had gone to buy some drink,” UPDF said in a statement on Friday.

UPDF said that in the attack two weapons SMG guns were taken and all efforts are underway to recover them.

“The attack on our guards will meet the necessary retaliation. We are working closely with the UPF and other security agencies to apprehend the criminals. Two suspects have so far been arrested and we have leads to apprehend the entire group,” UPDF said.

The army called upon Jinja residents and Ugandans are called upon to remain calm as these acts of criminality shall be dealt with decisively like we have dealt with many others before.

The attack became the third on security agencies in less than a month. On Monday 14 November, gunmen riding on a motorcycle attacked Kensington Apartments police post in Kyanja. The assailants fired bullets at the window of the police post but no police officer was injured in the debacle.

On October 31, a violent attack was carried out on Busiika Police Station where armed assailants shot at and killed two police officers on duty, injured two others, one critically, and thereafter, robbed two police guns from them.

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Today marks two years since Ugandan security forces brutally clamped down on people protesting the arrest of opposition politician Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi wine, killing 54 people, and injuring scores more.

While appearing on Citizen TV in Kenya, Bobi Wine demanded that the government treat them as human beings. “We are demanding to be human beings and be treated as such; to enjoy the rights for which many of our people have been killed”.

He said it is a pity that they can’t mourn nor meet in Uganda to talk about victims of torture by Museveni’s regime.

Bobi Wine and other concerned activists demanded accountability for the 2020 November killings.

The British High Commission said, “Today we remember those who were tragically killed in Uganda on 18 and 19 November 2020.”

The Commission asked the Government of Uganda to fully and transparently investigate what happened and bring all of those responsible to account.

Just before noon on November 18, 2020, two months ahead of Uganda’s general elections, security forces arrested Bobi Wine as he prepared to hold a campaign rally in Luuka, Eastern Uganda. The police said they had arrested him for breaching #Covid-19 regulations, but it was clear authorities were using the pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on opposition during the election campaigns.

As news spread about Kyagulanyi’s arrest, widespread protests in Kampala and other parts of the country erupted for two days. Authorities responded with teargas, by beating protestors and using live bullets, killing at least 54 people, even according to the government’s own admission. Those killed included bystanders and market traders who had nothing to do with the protests. Numerous others were injured.

A week after the protests, President Yoweri Museveni said the government would compensate only the families of 22 of the people who had died, saying the other 32 were rioters. Police later said they had launched investigations into the killings, but two years later, the authorities have not published their findings, held anyone accountable, nor compensated victims.

Uganda’s Constitution protects the rights to peaceful assembly, and association. The government is obligated under international law to ensure that use of force, in particular lethal force, is subject to scrutiny, to ensure effective investigations that lead to accountability for unlawful killings and injuries, as well as to provide access to effective remedies for all victims.

The government should take meaningful steps to show that it is serious about upholding human rights and the rule of law by ensuring justice for the November 2020 violence.

It should fulfill its promises and obligations under international law to the families of those who died and were injured at the hands of the security forces, whether they were protesting or not, through a transparent justice process that provides regular public updates on the progress of investigations and guarantees victims and their families’ effective participation.

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The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Innovation Village geared towards driving the ICT Innovation agenda in Uganda. 

This is in line with the government’s commitment to create a digitally driven economy and realise universal goals inclusion, sustainable development, economic progress and poverty eradication through digital innovation.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance said the partnership intends to unlock the market opportunity for Uganda’s ICT innovators and facilitate a legal framework to support public-private collaboration to transform Uganda’s ICT innovation landscape for socio-economic development.

“Our digital Uganda vision provides an overarching framework and unified ICT policy direction that responds to the national vision 2040. Part of this strategy involves creating strategic partnerships that support forming a digitally knowledgeable and empowered society to inspire innovation and productivity of the people, organizations, businesses and government,” Zawedde said.

She added, “Together with the Innovation Village, we will identify and develop projects that support innovation-oriented activities that are focused on leveraging emerging digital technologies and spur the development of the innovation ecosystem in Uganda. 

“We will continue to establish different partnerships with various partners both in the private and government sector to enable digital skilling, provide capacity building, training and certification courses to different innovators and the population at large to achieve digital transformation of the economy.”

According to Japheth Kawanguzi, Team Lead at the Innovation Village, this collaboration will see government through the Ministry of ICT support the ecosystem through financing mechanisms to deliver tailor-made services to young tech-preneurs through a series of business training, coaching and mentorship help young people transition into the employment and job creation sectors with the right skills.

Kawanguzi said, “Together, we will work towards capacity building and development of innovators, and build a virtual factory network at national level to empower ICT innovators and entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, with a focus on the competitive advantages of each of Uganda’s regions, aligned to the National Development Plan (NDP) III”.

This move is strategically geared towards sustainably supporting the National ICT Initiatives Support Programme (NIISP) whose sole aim is to facilitate the creation of an ICT innovation ecosystem, equip entrepreneurs with digitals skills and find a market for Ugandan innovative digital products both locally and internationally. 

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Karamoja senior leaders and top security commanders have recommitted to end cross border criminality among the communities of Dodoth of Kaabong in Uganda and Turkana in Kenya.

Their recommitment comes in the wake of raids by cattle rustlers allegedly from Kaabong District on Turkana County in Kenya in which dozens of heads of cattle were forcefully taken.

At a joint district security coordination meeting, chaired by Mr. Modo Augustine, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (D/RDC) held at Kaabong District Headquarter, the senior leaders and commanders condemned the act and vowed to end the vice. “The district has been calm except for the recent unfortunate skirmishes and raids by cattle rustlers to our neighbours across the border,” remarked Mr. Modo.

 “As responsible leaders in authority we totally condemn this act and call upon immediate redress,” Mr. Modo added.

At the same meeting the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 3rd Division Commander, Brig Gen Joseph Balikudembe stated that all sorts of criminality must be rooted out of the communities by all means. “I urge you leaders to denounce criminality, unite and work towards a common goal,” remarked Gen Balikudembe.

He noted that some livestock thefts are planned and conducted with the knowledge of leaders, where on some occasions, ultimately its either their sons or relatives who carry out the evil acts. “This is not a frontline engagement because leaders know and plead for some criminals amidst the communities,” he lamented.

Gen Balikudembe emphasised that the ongoing disarmament operations code named ‘Usalama Kwa Wote’ have achieved a lot in terms of arms and livestock scores, where over 615 guns and 3 ,998 ammunition respectively, have been recovered.

He further outlined five categories of criminal networks which include; armed warriors, warriors with bows and arrows, warriors with sticks to drive stolen animals, collaborators and leaders that are involved in such criminality.

He vowed that the different categories of criminals and their accomplices shall be dealt with, apprehended and prosecuted in the relevant courts of law.

The 3rd Division Commander who also doubles as the Chairperson of Disarmament Committee cautioned the leaders against blame games, spreading diversionary information and counter accusations instead of embracing harmony, unity and coordination in order to consolidate relative peace so far gained in the sub region.

In his closing remarks, Hon. Lokutu Mukasa Joseph, Vice Chairperson LC V for Kaabong who represented his boss Jino Bornd, stressed that the local leaders shall double efforts, use the governance structures and mobilize the masses to recover guns, stolen animals and hold peace initiatives with the neighbors.

He appealed to fellow leaders not to politicize cattle raids for individual interests but work towards the much-desired security and peace in the Karamoja sub region.

The meeting unanimously resolved on a number of operational strategies that will closely be guided by the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the President of Uganda and Commander -in – Chief of the UPDF HE Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and HE Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of the Republic of Kenya, to secure the interstate region.

Present were: Lt Col Gaston Mugarura Commanding Officer 45 Battalion, Lt Col Shem Nakora Division Intelligence Officer, Maj Frank Mutabazi RISO North Karamoja, SP Jacob Kule DPC and Hon. Francis Lomodo, the Speaker of Kaabong among other local leaders.

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