State of media freedom worries stake holders

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

Mr Daniel Walyemera, the Dean Faculty of Law at Cavendish University

“Journalists cameras are broken, they are beaten up and there is no clear reason as to why they are being beaten. Yet somebody had indicted clearly that they are journalists. They are doing their job,” said Mr Daniel Walyemera, the Dean Faculty of Law at Cavendish University said on Wednesday.

Violence meted against journalists in the recent past by mainly the state and its agencies in Uganda is worrying stakeholders and advocates of press freedom. They say this puts the country’s democracy at stake.

Mr Walyemera was speaking during a virtual dialogue on the findings of the 2020 Press Freedom Index released last month by Human Rights Network for Journalists Uganda. The report indicates a fragile relationship between the state and the media which, it emerged, is degrading not just democracy but all the other tenets of democracy. 
The report details cases of what happened to and in the media in the face of Covid-19 and elections.

Ms Ruth Ssenkindi, the Director Monitoring and Inspection at the Uganda Human Rights Commission said during the panel discussion that there is need for the state and stakeholders to understand the work that journalists do and the role it plays in the development of a democratic state. 

“Access to public information is so hard because many times they feel that it is classified but we have an Information Act. Unfortunately, it is not implemented. The state also has an obligation to protect media practitioners from any violations, to protect them from their employers, from interferences. You have heard of some politicians blocked from accessing a particular radio station because a call has come in from some particular individual. All these are in contravention of the state obligations,” Ms Ssenkindi explained. 

Ms Ssenkindi said that the state and any other aggrieved party at the work that journalists do should bear in mind that the journalists only get content from their sources. 

“Do not shoot the messenger. Because many times the media is just reporting what is out there. Yet they end up in harms way because of what they are reporting. We have also noted that there is a lot of self censorship. Many times you do not get the real story. There is political censorship, insecurity censorship, moral censorship based in religion. The commission has also noted that the condition of work of  media practitioners are not satisfactory which exposes them to vulnerabilities,” said Ms Ssenkindi. 

The need to have a uniform voice within the media industry to have better negotiation and bargaining power to muscle the many informal power centres in the field of journalism was also emphasised to enable press freedom in Uganda. 

Mr Joseph Beyanga, the Secretary National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella body for broadcasters in Uganda notes that the absence of the Communications Tribunal that the Uganda Communications Act, 2013 stipulates should be in place makes it difficult for journalism to have a uniform position when courts of law is not a readily available solution to some challenges in the media.

“One of the big issues which we kept pushing is the constitution of the communications tribunal. Since 2013 up to now, nothing has happened. When you talk to people who are supposed to be providing for it, they tell you the judicial service commission is supposed to make recommendations to the president then the president makes appointments. But year after year for the last 13 years we have been pushing for that but nothing is in place,” Mr Beyanga explained.

He says that there have been disappointments with those concerned in showing the will to constitute the communications tribunal that would help to arbitrate on some of the violations done to media practitioners as witnessed during and after elections in early 2021. 

Mr. Beyanga notes that there are many informal structures and commands that make negotiations for press freedom a challenge.

“They make a promise today, the following day things go back. We had an engagement with the UPDF after former CDF (Chief of Defence Forces) came out to apologise after several incidents (of violence against journalists) they made a commitment. We tried to have a working relationship of how we can support each other because it is one thing that gives birth to other issues.”

He added that; “In there you realise that you are speaking to the CDF but maybe there is another line where the instructions and commands are coming from within the UPDF other than the CDF. The things were not clear but we kept engaging, nevertheless. You engage with the UPDF but some of the crimes are committed by the SFC (Special Forces Command) and the SFC was not reporting to the CDF. It became a bit challenging in terms of protecting the journalists. We kept engaging and we are still engaging up to now.”

Mr. Beyanga said that the broken state system makes negotiations difficult because sometimes one does not know who else one needs to engage with so that the journalists who work in the field are safe. 
The 2020 Press Freedom Index Report recommends among others that Uganda Human Rights Commission;

“Investigate all cases relating to violations of press freedoms especially those committed by the state and its agents. As part of this initiative, appropriate compensation should be provided to victims in deserving cases. Exercise the mandate bestowed on the Commission by the Constitution to defend and promote citizen journalism and internet freedom both of which are an evolving and important.”

In response, Ms Ssenkindi said the commission has noted the challenges including security and safety of journalists. “We have seen them being battered, harassed, vandalised, illegally detained. Media practitioners have cited political interference, intimidation, many fear persecution and of course they do not come out. There is denial of access to information and all these i have said stem from the state itself, private practitioners and the general public,” she said. 

She said the states have an obligation to make government information available to the public for public scrutiny. She further added that when the public cannot access government information then it becomes a challenge to enforce accountability facilitated by independent and responsible media.

Uganda has over 310 radio stations, 40 television stations, mushrooming online media and a number of mainstream publications.

How African Minority groups can be saved from marginalisation

The Karimojong of North Eastern Uganda are considered a minority ethnic group. The narratives around cattle rustling with neighbours is a security concern in such communities. Photo by Irene Abalo Otto

BY IRENE ABALO OTTO

iaotto@ug.nationmedia.com

African minority rights activists have called on governments to check the roles they play in inclusion of minority groups in the development agenda at national levels. The activists believe early warning systems and monitoring of instabilities can help the marginalised communities co-exist with others peacefully.

This discussion emerged during a two day annual international conference on Ethnic Conflict Prevention using Early Warning Mechanism in Sub-Saharan Africa attended both virtually by those in Kenya, Cameroon and London and those physically present in Kampala.

Minority Rights International Group, Uganda hosted the event on Thursday and Friday last week. This brought together the various civil society organisations that agreed that for Minority ethnic and other groups to gain significant representation and have their needs tabled before decision makers, there is need to understand the underlying issues on the ground in such communities before the government makes interventions.

“Government needs to protect the land rights of indigenous and minority groups by providing tenure security in the form of land titles or certificate of ownership. Governments should also empower the minority groups economically to grow and transform their livelihoods into profitable business ventures,” says Richard Businge, an advisor to the Kingdom of Bunyoro and an independent consultant on African culture.

The teams of 35 representatives in Uganda agreed that governments in Africa should have coordinated voices on concerns of the ethnic minority.  

According to Agnes Kabajuni of Minority Rights International in Kampala, governments need to understand the background and current situation of minority communities to have tailored programmes that can benefit, rather than disorganise their original means of livelihoods. Minority Rights Group International (MRG) is an international human rights organisation founded with the objective of working to secure rights for ethnic, national, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples around the world.

Ms Kabajuni says each minority group in the region have unique identities and need the understanding of government institutions before they take any development projects to their area.

“If they are cattle keepers like in the Karimojong region, what can be done to help them have a better life while having their cattle as a treasure and something of value to them? The question is how can we help them see the cattle that they have as a resource for educating their girl child instead of only paying dowry? But it required an understanding of these communities and their way of life” says Ms Kabajuni.

 She adds that knowledge management and the aspect of joint advocacy using a network of people who value citizen driven approach can help change perceptions and understanding of minority groups in Africa.

 “I think the thematic areas should be driven by research. There are lots of conflicts related to the livelihoods of the minority groups,” says Businge.

He adds;

“Another thing I have seen in some communities like I have seen among Basongora is that there is a need to understand these people. Building the indigenous groups that are few in number to keep their land as a main resource for their livelihoods.” The other minority ethnic groups in Uganda include the Ik in northeastern Uganda.

The CSOs in Kenya and Uganda believe that networking can be a solution to the challenges facing the minority groups

A Turkana homestead in Kenya. Photo by Irene Abalo Otto.

“We need to have a uniform ideology in our networks and solve the question of knowledge that can be solved by research,” Businge stresses.

Ms Catherine Anena, a lecturer at Makerere University School of Gender, says that away from conflicts, and as a lesson from the lockdown, people need to serve all classes of people in the region.

“Lockdown measures and school closures affect girls and women differently and may have long-term negative consequences, ” Anena says.  “All of these impacts are further amplified in contexts of fragility, conflict, and emergencies where social cohesion is already undermined and institutional capacity and services are limited,” she adds.  

https://womenstudies.mak.ac.ug/projects

Across the continent, neglect and hostility disproportionately targets minorities. The most marginalised people are often indigenous groups such as the Berber of North Africa and the Batwa of Central Africa among others. The Batwa (known, pejoratively as “pygmies” in Western Uganda) are one of the oldest surviving tribes in Africa, but their culture, identity and language are under increasing threat.

The traditional hunting ground of this nomadic community comprises forested areas in what is now Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The minority rights approach, however, aims to overcome this marginalization through its stress on equality, participation, and empowerment of non-dominant groups.

Fire Victim: “The Children will stay home though my heart wants them to study.”

Children of parents whose huts got burnt last week during a day time fire that burnt to ashes their belongings may miss school when the new term begins on Monday because their parents lost all their property in the fire.

A child moves in their burnt compound at Lukung Parish in

Northern Uganda annually gets the highest rates of damages from fire out breaks during the dry season especially in the months of January to March.

Fire caused by a mentally derailed drug addict, 34 year old Michael Orach, gutted 23 huts from Lukung Sub Ward in Laroo Division on January 25^th. The fire that started at about 3:00pm, has left many parents stranded with school going children who are supposed to report to school with others on the 5^th February, 2018, the official first term opening of schools across Uganda.

30 year old Beatrice Angom, a mother of four, gave birth through Caesarian Section one month ago says her wound opened as she tried to save her property from the burning hut and has left her in a lot of pain. She worries that her children may not go to school this year since she is beginning life from Zero.

“I have nothing completely even to cover this baby on my back. Neighbors have been helping us with food but we don’t have blankets yet it is very cold at night and early morning. I cannot think of school now. I am only thinking of how they can eat and survive. School this year?” Beatrice wonders.

Angom was a tenant in 41 year old Michael Odong Ojera’s hut. Ojera, a primary school teacher at Pawel Langetta Primary school suffered the same fate with Angom when his 17 huts were burnt. He used to charge between 10,000/= to 25,000/= for rent. It is now 6 days, Ojera and his family of 10 children are homeless without any food or clothing. Their property got burnt in the huts. His 17 year old son, a senior four vacist, Godfrey Opiyo, tried to save their neighbors’ huts thinking theirs were safe only to wake turn to huge flames in the hut windy weather that Saturday afternoon.

“I tried to save other people’s property thinking our huts would not get burnt. By the time I turned to save ours, it was already too late. My result slip for Primary Seven and all my scholastic materials got burnt. I did not save much from my hut. My father too did not save much from his hut.”

Ojera adds that as a father, he is confused and does not know what to do for his children to go to school this year.

“This year, the children will stay home though in my heart, I want them to study.” Says Ojera.

He adds;

“All my posting instruction from Ministry of Education, national Identity Card and 600,000/= that I had saved, got burnt. I also had produce; 7 bags of beans, 4 bags of millet, 2 bags of groundnuts and 2 bags of sesame. All got burnt. I don’t know where to begin life from.”

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Gulu district LCV chairman advised those whose essential documents got burnt to seek help from the responsible authority and follow the right procedure to get them again.

During the handover of household items donated by Favor of God ministries, a Christian NGO working in Northern Uganda, Mapenduzi said the affected community need support from all well-wishers to regain their place in society.

“I know that what you lost involved a lot of hard work for many years. All these things cannot be got back at once. We know there are children whose academic documents got burnt. Let us know so that we laise with the office of the DEO and UNEB for new copies.”

Favor of God Ministries donated items worth 2 million shillings including 45 jerricans, 205 cups, 69 saucepans, 36 basins, plates, knives, salt, soap, cooking oil among others.

Simon Ogena, the Administrator Favor of God Ministries told our reporter that it is important for believers to reach out to those in need since NGOs that used to help during the wear to give relief aid have left the region for other refugee engagements.

He urged the local community to help their neighbors and give whatever they can and comfort the affected persons.

Laroo division, which has two slams has the most cases of fire outbreak in Gulu Municipality during the dry season.

Moses Abonga, Laroo division LCIII chairperson says grass thatched huts are becoming expensive and a burden to the community.

“We are encouraging people to build houses with iron sheets, let them have low cost houses to eliminate the grass thatched huts which are becoming expensive when such disaster happens.”

He adds that since Gulu is moving towards a city status, grass thatched huts have to be replaced with permanent structures.

We were born from the bush but we are not bushy.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

“Every child matters, and a chance to live a life free of fear, free of rejection.” Those were words from one of the Board of Directors World Vision, Mark Parson while addressing a gathering of over 500 people to pray and console children born in captivity from Kaunder Grounds in Gulu Municipality last week. The event was organized by World Vision, Acholi Religions Leaders Peace initiative, Watye Ki Gen among other partners to show support for children born in captivity in the over 20 year LRA insurgency that ravaged livelihoods in Northern Uganda.

Parson says they have trained 56 religious leaders, 22 churches and 60 youth ambassadors since march this year to spread the message that all children are equal and free from discrimination.

Meanwhile, testimonies from returnees and children born in captivity indicate that some children are making progress on their own to get out of self-pity and join professional and institutional training to change their lives.

Children born in Captivity give their testimonies of life as returnees during the prayer event at Kaunda Grounds

Arob Alfred, 37, a resident of Lacor Seminary in Amuru district was taken captive in 1997 when he was still a young man.

Arop says children born in captivity have big dreams but have been neglected by their parents. He says he was disabled in the legs while in the bush but he chose to take care of the child as his own.

“I am going to take care of this child, she will grow and I know will have a better life. These children are bright. Leaders should sensitize people in our community to accept these children when they are brought back home. These children have fathers and some of them returned from the bush healthy and are working with government institutions. “

Arob says leaders should know that the children born in captivity are growing and they need support. He says he is disappointed in leaders who divert government programs meant for returnees from LRA captivity.

“These children are also suffering because leaders are not directing resources meant for these children whose parents due not value. There are mothers who came back with children but they neglect them so that they too are not rejected by the community.”

Kwino Byanka, 25 years, a student of nursing at Lacor was born in captivity but she refuse to let her background tarnish her destiny to make it as a professional nurse.

Byanka believes that children born in captivity have the capability to do what other children are doing but they lack support from the community and sometimes their own relatives.

“I am one among more than 1,000 children born in captivity who are facing numerous challenges like, rejections, stigma and lack of identity. Many children are not in school. Some of us came back with our mothers without fathers though a few came back but have neglected their responsibility.”

Byanka is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of other children through her profession as a nurse. She told this paper that her heart’s desire is to see children born under the care of a medical personnel.

“We were born in the bush but we don’t look bushy. You should also look at us as children who have destiny,” Byanka told stake holders gathered for the prayers.” I took the nursing course because I do not want other children born to go through what children born in Captivity went through and how they survive by the mercy of God due to circumstances in the bush. No child deserves to be born in such environment. “She adds.

Simon Kwoyelo is a student of Automotive Mechanics, Craft, and Part Two. He is a child born in Captivity and only returned from the bush with his mother, at the age of four.

“When I was growing up, I never knew things would change. Since we came back, I have never seen my paternal relatives. I only steeped the village last year when we went for my maternal grandmother. Sometimes you feel that no one cares or even things about you. Our Elders please take us as we are. We never wanted to be born in the bush.” Kwoyelo narrates, “I am ever alone with few friends because some teachers point at me and say that boy was born in captivity. Some people fear me. I don’t know why.”

Simon says he was told his father’s name but has no clue about his relatives. He longs to identify with his relatives but for now, he lives with his mother in Koro Abili, Koro Sub County in Omoro district.

Arch Bishop John Baptist Odama, the leader of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative, ALPI says the Acholi handle children like ants and are mistreated because they are vulnerable.

Bishop Odama encourages the children born in captivity to pursue their dreams during the prayers at Kaunda Grounds

He adds that no human being is born by accident because it is God’s plan for every human being born.

Odama appreciates the single mothers who came back home with the children and chose to shoulder responsibilities despite the difficulties. He asked the children born in captivity to forgive their parents for circumstances under which they were born but focus on looking at rehabilitating their lives.

He asked the children to work in solidarity with other relatives and care takers.

Uganda is still in the process of developing a Transitional Justice Policy to help in the rehabilitation process in the post LRA war in Northern Uganda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NGO National Bureau trains new committees to monitor NGOs in Gulu district.

Gulu District and Sub County members of the NGOs monitoring committee were last week taken through induction training to register, regulate, coordinate, inspect, observe and monitor the NGOs activities in the country as per the NGOs Registration Act of 2016 and National NGOs policy of 2010.

The training manual was developed by NGO National Bureau and conducted at Gulu District Council Hall last week.

According to the guidelines, the compositions of the committees among others include the Resident District Commissioner, Chief Administrative Officer, Community Development Officer and the Sub County Chief.

The Assistant CAO in charge of Aswa County Ms.Odwar Santa who represented the CAO says, the training has equipped them to monitor NGO activities in the District to partner for service delivery in the community adding that this will ultimately improve on the good partnership, coordination and reporting on the NGOs operating in the District to the National Bureau.

The National NGO policy was approved by the Cabinet on October 2010 while the NGO Act was established in 2016 giving the ministry of Internal Affairs through the National Bureau the mandate to provide guidelines for the District NGO Monitoring Committees while the National Bureau itself mandates also the Ministry of Internal Affairs to register, regulate, coordinate, inspect, monitor and observe the NGO Operations in the country.

The Program Manager at Justice and Reconciliation Project, JRP, a Non Governmental Organization Ms Apiyo Nancy however told our Acholi Times that the Act has limited their operations in the country but notes that amidst such challenges, the NGOs shall continue advocating for the wellbeing of the people and urged the government to respect the voices of the people at the grass root levels.

POLICE REPORTS INDICATE INCREASE IN NIGHT ATTACKS IN GULU TOWN

POLICE REPORTS INDICATE INCREASE IN NIGHT ATTACKS IN GULU TOWN

By

ABALO IRENE OTTO

GULU

Police in Gulu town have arrested six men in connection to an attempted murder of a technician last night along Ring Road in Gulu municipality.

Aswa Region Police Spokes person Patrick Jimmy Okema while addressing a press conference today from Northern Uganda Media Club said is holdingOjok Geoffrey, Akena Emmy, Okello Moris Opio Sammy and one Ali Moses in their custody for attempting to cut, Acio Micheal, a 25 year old resident of Tegwana parish in Pece Division for unknown reasons.

“The suspects tried to cut Acio Micheal 25 years, a technician at Tegwana in Gulu municipality but we have them in our custody awaiting trial.”

Okema revealed that police has recovered the exhibits from the crime scene to help with investigations. They include: pangas and clothes with blood stains.

He added that since 28th Feb, police has registered 6 cases of iron bar hit men at Gulu Central Police Station. The hit men mostly attack their victims at night hour.

However, the PRO called for calm as the patrol team is working day and night to ensure safety of people in the region.

“We are not really sleeping as some people are saying. We are working day and night to ensure the safety of our people.”

He urged the general public to cooperate with police and report any suspicious people in their community or in their neighborhood for the law to take its course on such people.

The suspects will be arraigned in court to answer charges of attempted murder once their file is forwarded to court for trail.

According to Article 187 section 1 of the penal Code Act, “Any person who by an unlawful act or omission causes the death of another person commits the felony termed manslaughter. Any person who commits the felony of manslaughter is liable to imprisonment for life.”

Women determined to crack fundamental barriers to equality and empowerment.

This year’s international Women’s Day celebration yesterday was the first within the new 2030 Agenda according to the UN for sustainable development of women and girls to achieve gender equality and empowerment that includes aims to end discrimination and violence against women.

The national celebration was held at Kolo Independence ground under the theme: “Women Economic Development,a vehicle to sustainable development.”

In Gulu, the event that took place at Pece Stadium was graced by the Resident District Commissioner as the chief guest who urged men to embrace the initiative to enable equal opportunities that will enhance development with the contribution of both men and women.

He appreciated the women for the active participation of women in various developmental activities in business, politics and for standing strong in the family which is the foundation of the nation.
UN Under Secretary and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo in a speech presented by Northern Uganda UN area Coordinator, Cyriaque Sobtafo, says women individually,and civil society together have called for lasting and trans formative change by 2030.

Sobtafo adds that women and girls are critical to finding sustainable solutions to the challenges of poverty, inequality and the recovery of communities hardest hit by conflicts, disasters and displacement.
He urged local leaders to recognize women leadership to be able to emerge with greater participation in the decision making processes at all levels beginning at home.

The UN world world pledges to build on the commitments that have already been made by about 90 governments ensuring that women’s call for action to “Step It Up for Gender Equality” is realised to crack some of the fundamental barriers to the achievement of gender equality in their countries.

Gulu district Chairman reveals that about 88% of cases reported to the police by the end of 2015 were GBV related which is a threat to economic development.

Man arrested and to appear before court for stealing and eating a goat from the bush.

Police in Gulu town are holding a 32 year old man for allegedly stealing and consuming a goat belonging to an old woman from Acet parish Binya village, Odek Sub County together with other accomplices who are still at large.
Police OC Crime, James Asubu confirmed to our reporter this afternoon that Odong Isaiah was arrested on 28th February and says the defendants’ file is already prepared for him to be arraigned in court tomorrow.
Odong allegedly stole the goat on the 24th February, cooked and ate together with his other accomplices but was arrested after a tip off from the local area councilor who got reports from the owner of the goat, Laker Joyce, the complainant saying that part of her goat’s remains and skin had been recovered by a dog that drag it to the compound.
Asubu however says that the police were assisted by the area councilor to identify Odong who confessed to stealing and eating the goat and he led police to the scene in the bush where they found the bones and utensils used to cook the goat.
Odong who is the defendant is to appear before the Grade One magistrate in Gulu town to answer charges of theft against him.

LC DISGUSTED BY LANDLORD’S BEHAVIOUR

The Local area Councillor one of Laroo Division Senior Quarter parish has today urged the community to be security conscious of new members who join them in the area especially the tenants saying such people have on several occasions been targets by thieves and the leaders only get to know of their presence in the area when they lose their property or have a problem and want the LC to intervene.

James Opoka Anywar the LC 1 of Senior Quarters said they have challenges with handing cases of new members in the area who are not registered with them as leaders because it’ s difficult to ascertain their origin and facts.

Cue in…..James Anywar on new members………….

He cited an example of a family of Somalians you have been living in his area for about three months unregistered but g he only came to know of them when their house was broken into at night last week.

Anywar added that land lords need to be sensitized on the importance of registering new tenants in the area and not wait to report them to the LC 1 for failure to pay rent or arrears.

Cue in….. James Anywar on landords……

He advised the land lords to always have truck records of their tenants with the leaders to avoid instances of leaders only coming in at the time for court or mediations where problems arise.

Gulu gets solar powered street lights

Gulu municipal Council has acquired a total of 35 solar Powered street lights that is already being placed in the Central Business district of the town to help light the dimly light town.
Mr. Francis Byarabanawe, the Gulu Municipal town clerk while talking to Journalist from his office this morning revealed that this solar Powered streetlights will be installed at a cost of 1,576,000 /= per pole adding that these lights are cost effective and that they will be in phases until the whole town has been covered with the street lights.
The town Clerk further said that the installation of the street lights delayed because the contractor, Home Builders Limited had to import the equipments from India adding that the Municipal have received 14billion shillings from African Development Bank reiterating that the monthly interest FROM this money of 34million will be used to put more street lights in the town.
He further urged the Locals especially the Shop owners that the poles will be close by to be very watchful so that the Solar Powered Lights are not vandalized and to boost the security of the town greatly.