Lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde has sued the government of Uganda in the East African Court of Justice seeking to get the recently passed Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act nullified.

Through Democracy and human rights watchdog Legal Brains Trust which he heads, Ssemakadde filed a petition on Monday, October 17 in the First Instance Division of the Arusha-based East African Court of Justice, a petition that pits the aggressive watchdog against the Attorney General of Uganda, who has since been summoned to file the government’s response within 45 days without fail.

Legal Brains Trust accuses government of violating its duties under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Articles 29(1)(a) and 43 of the Constitution of Uganda, which set a high standard for democracy and freedom of expression in the region, and thereby failing to abide by the principles of good governance enshrined in Articles 6(d) and 7(2) of the East African Community Treaty.

Regarding good governance, Legal Brains Trust asserts this about the amended law: “It is a defectively processed blunt instrument that disproportionately restricts freedom of expression online on vague, overly broad and unfounded pretexts, and will immediately be weaponized by the Ugandan authorities to silence dissent and prevent people from speaking out against bad governance.”

Legal Brains Trust wants the East African Court of Justice to make a declaration that all the provisions of Uganda’s Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022 as recently passed are an infringement of the principles of good governance enshrined in Articles 6(d) and 7(2) of the East African Community Treaty, and hence invalid.

The democracy and human rights watchdog also wants the court to issue an order directing the government of Uganda to cease and desist from implementing any part of the contested law, order that Uganda amends its law to reflect the findings of the Court and report back to the Court within 60 days or any time as the court may determine. The petitioner also wants to be awarded costs of the suit.

Commenting on this development, Advocate Isaac Ssemakadde, the executive director of Legal Brains Trust said; “this matter is too important to be left to the biased, lethargic and emasculated local judiciary.

“At their 23rd annual conference in February this year, the senior judges and justices of Uganda passed an anti-democratic resolution literally urging the government to conduct further surveillance and repression of critical voices on the Internet.

“Ugandan security and intelligence operators, prosecutors, magistrates and even High Court judges routinely violate the freedom of internet users with impunity, and the Constitutional Court has abdicated its human rights protection mandate by unreasonably failing to determine a dozen petitions challenging draconian provisions in the pre-existing computer misuse law since its commencement in 2011. Clearly, maize cannot expect justice in a court composed of chickens.”

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As Ebola cases and related deaths continue to rise and with the Ugandan president recently issuing strict directives including a curfew and movement restrictions in the high-risk districts, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is calling for the protection of women and girls throughout the response. Currently, up to 60 cases, 23 confirmed deaths and 20 probable Ebola-related deaths have been reported.

Several organizations including the IRC have launched interventions in response to the outbreak in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Evidence from several studies including a rapid assessment conducted by the IRC in North Kivu region, DRC, during the Ebola outbreak in 2018 showed that as primary caretakers of the sick and elderly, women were more exposed to the disease. This results in more than half of Ebola infections occurring among women.

Furthermore, due to the increased use of water for handwashing and other prevention activities, women and girls who in many instances face the burden of fetching water was more frequently traveling long distances to collect water where they may be at increased risk of sexual violence and harassment.

Elijah Okeyo, IRC Uganda Country Director said, “Even without an outbreak or crisis, women and girls are invariably vulnerable to physical, emotional, and sexual harassment or violence. This is because of the ingrained pre-existing gender norms, practices and inequalities in families and communities. This Ebola outbreak will inevitably exacerbate the negative effects of these inequalities. This was seen during the 2014 — 2016 outbreak in West Africa where women and girls were disproportionately affected, leading to both an increase in sexual and domestic violence. The IRC has for a long time delivered women and girls-centered programs during crises across all our areas of operation. We will continue to do so during this Ebola outbreak in collaboration with the Uganda Ministry of Health by delivering integrated health programs providing both direct health services and Gender Based Violence (GBV) related services. This comprehensive package of services will be provided at all the 34 IRC-supported health facilities and further GBV-specific services will be available at the 26 IRC women support centers in the six refugee settlements we serve.

“The IRC will also work with community structures such as the Village Health Teams (VHTs) and through IRC protection and response officers to extend services to hard-to-reach areas and households with limited access to health centers or women support centers. These too will provide GBV response services and identify at-risk women and girls for further support.”

The IRC has extensive experience in Ebola virus infection prevention and control activities. IRC responded to the 2019 outbreak in Uganda as well as several outbreaks since 2018 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The IRC works on women’s and girls’ protection and integrates Ebola-related protection concerns in areas where the IRC supports primary health care services. The IRC also worked to contain the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The IRC began programming in 1998 in northern Uganda in response to mass displacement wrought by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Since then, the IRC has expanded to provide critical services for refugees and vulnerable Ugandans throughout the country. The IRC started supporting refugees and vulnerable individuals in Kampala in 2012. As of 2019, the IRC entered the Tooro region to support refugees while also providing epidemic preparedness and response services throughout the region. In addition to emergency support, the IRC also invests in long-term stability for refugees and Ugandans through programs like immunization, family planning, legal services, women’s empowerment, education, and livelihoods. More recently, IRC has been involved in supporting Afghan evacuees in Uganda.

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Uganda Beach Soccer National Team Head Coach Angelo Schrinzi has named the final squad that will feature at 2022 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations.

The coach confirmed a final list, comprised of 12 players on Tuesday morning.

The team that played at the recently concluded Beach Soccer COSAFA Championship in South Africa has largely been maintained.

The squad named has two goalkeepers, five defenders and five forwards.

The team will depart on Tuesday night for Maputo, Mozambique where the tournament will be played from 21^st to 28th October.

The Sand Cranes are in Group B alongside depending Champions Senegal, Madagascar and Egypt. This is the second time Uganda is qualifying for the final tournament.

In the last edition, Uganda went all the way to the semifinals before getting eliminated by eventual winners Senegal.

Final Squad

Goalkeepers: Samson Kirya (Buganda Royal BSC), Meddie Kibirige (St. Lawrence BSC)

Defenders: Jonathan Kikonyogo (St. Lawrence BSC), Allan Katwe (St. Lawrence BSC), Ashraf Opuuli (Mutoola BSC), Paul Lule (Buganda Royal BSC), Joshua Lubwama Letti (St. Lawrence BSC)

Forwards: Baker Lukooya (St. Lawrence BSC), Ambrose Kigozi (Buganda Royal BSC), Godfrey Lwesibawa (Buganda Royal BSC), Brian Nkuubi (St. Lawrence BSC), Isma Kawawulo (MUBS BSC)

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Police have impounded Link Bus Reg. number UBE 535H at Kigarama Stage,Myanzi Subcountu Kassanda District.

According to ASP Kawala Racheal, the PRO for Wamala Region, preliminary facts indicate on 17^th October 2022 at about 0600, Link bus left Bundibugyo District with 58 passengers for Kampala, while on the way, the bus driver stopped the Bus at Kigarama Stage, Kigarama parish Myanzi subcounty Kassanda District and picked two passengers contrary to the guidelines issued by ministry of health against the fight of ebola.

The passengers were later identified as bus Inspectors one Mwesigwa Nelson together with his colleague Opio Samuel attached to Hopper Bus that wanted a short distance lift to mityana town.

“The bus was intercepted by our officers that were patrolling the highway,” ASP Kawala said.

She added that there are three suspects in custody and relevant statements have been recorded. The bus is currently parked at Myanzi police.

Mubende and Kassanda Districts entered a 21 day lockdown to help curb the spread of Ebola in their respective districts and around the country.

In the last two days, a total of 222 boda boda motorcycles and 5 motor vehicles were impounded for flouting the curfew provisions. In addition, 5 suspects were arrested for violating the health protocols. A total of 7 seasonal markets were closed.

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A group of 13 activists have petitioned the Constitutional Court challenging the recently signed Computer Misuse Act 2022. The petitioners include Alternative Digital Limited, Norman Tumuhimbise, Mukiibi Jerimiah among others.

On 9 September 2022, Uganda’s parliament passed the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill 2022 to amend six sections of the already repressive Computer Misuse Act, of 2011.

Last week, President Yoweri Museveni signed the Computer Misuse bill into Law. The Act Among others prohibits the sharing of any information relating to a child without authorization from a parent or guardian; prohibits the sending or sharing of information that promotes hate speech; provides for the prohibition of sending or sharing false, malicious and unsolicited information.

 Through their lawyer Peter Arinaitwe, the group claims the entire act should be annulled since it trumps upon basic human rights like freedom of speech and its enactment is likely to promote dictatorship in the country.

“The contentious issues we find in this law is that it is vague and ambiguous. For example anyone who receives or shares unsolicited information commits an offense,” Arinaitwe said.

The petitioners said that this act is premised on existing other laws such as the Computer Misuse Act, Data Protection Act and others. We believe that those laws are sufficient enough to provide the safeguards which the state would like to protect. There are several cases which have been prosecuted pursuant to that law.

“We find criminalization of sharing, taking video clips, transmitting infringes on people’s right to freedom of expression,” they said.

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