Photo by K. Burns [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
A few nights ago I came across this article from Acholitimes about a male survivor of rape from northern Uganda.
Continue reading “Male survivors of rape in northern Uganda and Ongwen trial”
Katureebe yatutoneka
But someone will ask where is the wound
Are you blind? And even if you were, the air would have whispered to you
If you aren’t blind, can’t you see it on the streets of Kampala?
Don’t you listen to the radios? Did you hear that person telling us
‘At least you are bleeding in peace’
But if I put many questions someone will say no evidence
Katureebe yatutoneka,
Not in that intentional, malicious kind of way
But open wounds don’t get into these details of intent
For there’s no substantial evidence to support any of this.
All the wound cares about is the pain reintroduced
Continue reading “No substantial evidence in my thoughts tonight”
Photo by NTVUganda
Which way Uganda?
On Thursday 18, many Ugandans woke up enthusiastic, ready to put months of campaigns behind them and choose a new president and a parliament. The voting was scheduled to begin at 7:00 am and end at 4:00 pm. So at dawn, many set out to line up and cast their vote in an election recent opinion polls had projected to be the closest since President Yoweri Museveni took over power in 1986.
But before the poll opening hour, most of Uganda was locked out of Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp in a move the government regulatory body and the Ugandan Army Spokesperson came to defend as a response to ‘security threat.’ Over 7 million people use Internet daily in Uganda and WhatsApp is the fastest way of sharing information, cheaply around the country. Cutting these channels off sparked alarms on the intentions of state security and the Electoral Commission. Also Mobile Money services were taken down, leaving some Ugandans stranded as this is the quickest way many Ugandans send and receive money from relatives.
Uganda is set hold presidential and general elections on February 18. Eight candidates are vying for the seat but the campaign is more of a three-horse race between incumbent President Museveni, leading opposition figure and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Kizza Besigye and former Prime minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi. The last four elections conducted during President Yoweri Museveni’s 30 years in power have all been marred with irregularities and violent incidents.
Less than a month to the vote, an increasing climate of fear hovers over the country. The Uganda Police has recruited about 11 million crime preventers whom critics say are more or less a standby government militia to be used in case things don’t go well for the regime. Besigye’s party FDC says it has 10 persons per village ready to guard their vote and he continues a message of defiance that is not fully explained. Amama Mbabazi at rallies has emphasized that his go-forward team is ready to defend the vote.
Continue reading “Worrying war rhetoric ahead of Feb 18 Uganda vote”
The Bandiagara plateau in Central Mali has been hit by repeated droughts. Climate change is making the weather unpredictable, resulting in poor harvests and increased malnutrition (Photo: Irina Mosel/ODI, Creative Commons via Flickr
For the next two weeks, world leaders, business leaders and civil society are in Paris at the COP21. Uganda is one of of the ‘least developed countries’. It is one of the most vulnerable to climate change yet like many LDCs emits least.
For the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the outcome of the Paris climate talks (COP21) is crucial. Ahead of COP21 in Paris, I worked with IIED’s LDC Independent Expert Group (IEG) of which I am a member to hear voices from LDCs in this series of interviews with political leaders, experts and civil society representatives from nine of these countries to about the situation they face, and their hopes for a Paris deal.
The Least Developed Countries have contributed little to the global tally of greenhouse gas emissions, but many have submitted plans ahead of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties in Paris (COP21), detailing their intended actions on climate change (INDCs).
Read more from IIED
Plenary session at ccda-v by Photo by IISD/ENB
Between November 30 – December 11, the 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP21) to the UNFCCC will be held in Paris. A new climate protocol to succeed the Kyoto Protocol is to be reached by world governments.
African governments, negotiators, civil society met in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe between 27-30 October at the 5th annual Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-V) to work on various positions ahead of the Paris talks. The CCDA is hosted the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), African union Commission (AUC) and AfDB and this year was under the theme “Africa, Climate Change and Sustainable development: What is at stake at Paris and beyond?”.
There was a charge that lack of political strategies pause a hurdle for African countries to achieve fair deals from UNFCCC talks. Many speakers also cautioned that even if African countries have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) or post-2020 national climate action plans where governments will pledge their contribution to curbing down Green House Gas emissions with mitigation targets, they shouldn’t lose the sight of adaptation.
Continue reading “Africa needs a clear political strategy to get a better deal out of Paris Climate Talks”
Horrified like most Ugandans by Police actions against opposition politicians, I join concerned Ugandans and echo this call to sanity.
STATEMENT FROM UGANDANS
DEMANDING AN END TO POLICE BRUTALITY
To
The Ministry of Internal Affairs
The Speaker of Uganda Parliament
The Inspector General of Police
The Uganda Human Rights Commission
RE: POLICE BRUTALITY AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AHEAD OF 2016 UGANDA ELECTIONS
We, concerned citizens of Uganda,
Outraged by the recent brutal actions of the Uganda Police towards opposition politicians and supporters
Cognizant of Uganda’s history that is tainted with gender specific crimes against women by security forces
Mindful that Uganda’s General elections are four months away
Appalled that our Police has exhibited that it is ill-prepared to ensure law and order in an impartial, non-discriminatory and civil way
Do address you as follows:
Continue reading “Police Brutality and Violence against Women ahead of 2016 Uganda Elections”
Above: Lt. General Jonathan Rono, the Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the AMISOM Ugandan Contingent Commander Brigadier Sam Kavuma visit AMISOM front-line troops at the Janaale base in Lower Shaballe region, Somalia on September 05 2015. AMISOM Photo
On September 1, Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants briefly seized control of an African Union after ramming a suicide car bomb into it.The attack took place at the AMISOM base in Janaale.
First diplomatic sources reported over 50 soldiers had died and then Somali military sources said 37. More than 48 hours after the attack on September 03, Uganda’s army spokesperson Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda tweeted that the estimates of more than 50 was a lie.Finally he told the nation that only 10 Ugandan soldiers had died in Somalia.
Earlier this month,a few days after returning to Kampala I walked into the Kampala Art Auction as Serena Hotel. At first, I was excited to see a piece that captured the obsession with ourselves- the ever increasing narcissism of our time – the Selfie. Minutes into the auction one piece captured the audience evoking laughter and comments about this piece by Violet Lynus Nantume,a Ugandan Artist.
The piece was bought at UShs 4 million. Violet explained her piece titled “No, Yes” a flaccid penis pointed at an ear is about sexual relations between men and women in Uganda and Africa today. She said she wants to contribute to the conversation where a woman’s no is ‘taken’ for a yes. Sex, consent and women’s voice today! Great piece, important conversation that must continue. Violet says she was inspired by writings of Dr Sylvia Tamale a Ugandan academic and human rights advocate.
LISTEN:
R.Kagumire
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