The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kampala

  • Protests in Uganda after lawmakers detained at airport

    Protests erupted in the Ugandan capital on Friday after police detained two lawmakers at the international airport as they prepared to travel abroad for medical care, witnesses said,

    People demonstrated in different parts of Kampala, burning tires and piling rocks and other barricades in the middle of the roads.

    Police said the protests were limited and had been contained.

    The lawmakers, Robert Kyagulanyi and Francis Zaake, say they were tortured by security forces while in detention.

    They were trying to leave to seek medical treatment abroad when they were arrested at Kampala’s international airport on Thursday night.

    Kyagulanyi’s lawyer last week told Reuters that his client had been left unable to stand after being beaten while in detention.

    When he appeared in court a day after his lawyer spoke, he was unable to walk without help.

    ReadAlso: Ugandan lawmaker re-arrested on new treason charges

    Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo last week dismissed the lawyer’s comments as rubbish

    “Protesters blocked the roads using garbage cans and burning tyres. Motorists have to get alternative routes to the city centre.

    Soldiers and riot police are still clearing the roads,” Nvule told Reuters.

    Police spokesman Luke Owoyesigyire said police were monitoring the city to ensure no illegal rallies took place.

    The two parliamentarians were among a group of five lawmakers who were detained on Aug. 13 in Uganda’s northwestern town of Arua and accused of throwing stones at a presidential convoy during the campaign for a parliamentary seat.

    Police said on Thursday they had stopped Kyagulanyi, who has been charged with treason but released on bail, as they awaited further guidance.

    Zaake has not been charged but has been in hospital in Kampala. Images of him posted on social media show him lying on a bed, eyes closed, with multiple bruises on his hand and other body areas.

    Kyagulanyi in particular has risen as a formidable threat to President Yoweri Museveni’s 32-year rule, winning popular support through his music and strong criticism of the government.

  • Expert Condemns Abuse of Cybercrimes Law, say it is used to Harass Ordinary Nigerians

    Expert Condemns Abuse of Cybercrimes Law, say it is used to Harass Ordinary Nigerians

    Speaking at the Research Methods Workshop for Internet Policy and Advocacy in Kampala, Uganda, a digital rights expert, Tope Ogundipe has condemned the abuse of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Prevention Act to harass journalists and ordinary citizens.

    Ogundipe, who currently serves as Director of Programs at the Pan-African social enterprise, Paradigm Initiative, led a session on “Cybercrime, Digital Rights and Law Enforcement in Nigeria.” She traced the origins of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act 2015 and its current use as the prime tool in the hands of the rich and powerful in Nigeria to facilitate the arrest and harassment of journalists, bloggers and ordinary citizens for comments made online.

    She noted, “Since the passage of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, there has not been one incident where it has been used to prosecute a real cybercrime case. Instead, it has been used to arrest ordinary citizens for comments made online deemed offensive to the powerful in Nigeria.

    “Journalists in particular have been at the receiving end of these arrests using the Cybercrime law, because a large number of journalists have been arrested in Nigeria using sections 24 and 38 of the law.”

    Paradigm Initiative, in partnership with Media Rights Agenda and Enough is Enough Nigeria, in response to the use of the Cybercrime legislation in the arrests of citizens have challenged the constitutionality of sections 24 and 38 of the Cybercrimes law in court.

    “The case has been in the courts since 2016. We lost at the court of first instance and we are now at the Court of Appeal. Strategic litigation could be a long and drawn out process and as such patience and perseverance is required in this endeavour,” Ogundipe submitted.

    During the workshop, which held between from February 26 – March 3, over 35 researchers and practitioners from across Africa were gathered at Kabira resort Kampala Uganda for an intense week of study on research methods that underpin Internet policy and advocacy on the continent. The workshop participants were drawn from 16 African countries while the faculty were drawn from within Africa, Europe and the United States.

    The Workshop ended with participants asking questions from the session leader, particularly on how best to conduct strategic litigation within their countries and was organized in conjunction with the Internet Policy Observatory at the Annenberg School for Communications, University of Pennsylvania.

  • Ugandan minister faces corruption charges

    The Police has charged Herbert Kabafunzaki, junior minister for labour, employment and industrial relations, with corruption offences.

    Kabafunzaki was arrested for allegedly taking a bribe from a hotel owner to help clear him of sexual harassment accusations.

    Graft is rampant in the east African country, but the arrest of top government officials is rare.

    Police say he was arrested moments after receiving five million Ugandan shillings (1,385 dollars) as part-payment of a larger bribe he had solicited from the hotel owner to help clear him of sexual harassment allegations by one of his female workers.

    Jane Kajugo, a spokeswoman for the director of public prosecutions, told Reuters Kabafunzaki was charged with soliciting a bribe, receiving a bribe and conspiracy to commit a felony.

    “He pleaded not guilty to all the counts,” Kajugo said.

    Kajugo said the minister was then sent to a maximum security prison in Kampala. He will return on Wednesday for a ruling on his bail application.

    The minister was charged alongside two alleged accomplices, one a friend who pleaded not guilty and the other a political assistant who pleaded guilty to the charges and is due to be sentenced on Wednesday.

    The arrest of the three at a hotel was covered by Ugandan television, which showed bundles of cash spread on a table and the minister staring at it.

    Government critics often blame corruption on long-ruling President Yoweri Museveni, 72, who they say is reluctant to punish loyal political supporters.

    Andrew Karamagi, a Ugandan lawyer and rights activist, said he believed Kabafunzaki’s arrest was “playing more to the gallery as opposed to seriously fighting corruption”.

    “It was a smokescreen,” he said.

    Business people routinely complain of being asked by government officials to pay bribes. Critics say corruption hampers the flow of investment and stifles entrepreneurship.

  • IAAF World Cross Country Championship: Nigeria saved from losing US$310,000 

    IAAF World Cross Country Championship: Nigeria saved from losing US$310,000 

     

     

     

    Last minute financial aid from Nigeria’s chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai has ensured that the country’s athletes would participate   at the IAAF World Cross Country Championship slated for March 24- 26 in Kampala, Uganda.If the country had failed to attend the championship,they would have lost out of winning  a total prize money of US$310,000.

    Buratai aside offsetting the traveling expenses of Team Nigeria to Uganda will also be paying the country’s representatives bonuses and allowances all targeted at motivating them to be at their best in Uganda having only lost the African edition narrowly in Cameroon.

    Speaking on the gesture by the Army , the President of AFN, Solomon Ogba asserted that Buratai has been a pillar behind sports especially athletics where his contributions have seen the army soaring in sporting circles in Nigeria and beyond.

    “I must say we are very grateful to the Chief of Army Staff for his immense support all round and more importantly to the long-distance runners” Ogba began.

    The Nationsports had gathered earlier that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria(AFN) had been  constrained    by funds hence the omission of  Nigeria from the IAAF list of participating countries  as at March 20.

    Meanwhile, a total  US$310,000 in prize money will be awarded by the IAAF to the leading runners in the senior races.

    Nigeria will present 10 athletes and 6 officials; namely Sanusi Hausamatu, Rose Lange, Obilor lorine, Naomi Yunana, Narinet Raymond, Manga Mohammed, Hanna Adewale, Danjuma Stephen daylop

    Others are Gyang Dahiru, Ayuba, Awal gochin, Amos Unity, Adebayo Oloruntoba, Abubakar Ahmadu and U

    Winners of the individual men’s and women’s races will each earn US$30,000, with money paid out to the top six finishers.

     

    In total, US$140,000 is on offer in the two senior races.

     

    In the team contest in both senior races, there is another prize pool of US$140,000, with US$20,000 going to the winning team, with prizes awarded to sixth place in both races, where the pay out by the IAAF is US$4000.

     

    There is also a total prize pool of US$30,000 on offer for the inaugural relay race, with US$12,000 earmarked for the winning team. Here, the first four teams across the line will be awarded prize money.

     

    Prize money (in US$) – senior men’s and women’s races only*

     

    Individual races:1st – 30,000,2nd – 15,000, 3rd – 10,000,4th – 7000 ,5th – 5000,6th – 3000.

    Team races:1st – 20,000,2nd – 16,000,3rd – 12,000,4th – 10,000,5th – 8000,6th – 4000

    Relay race:1st – 12,000,2nd – 8000,3rd – 6000,4th – 4000

    Meanwhile, no  prize money paid for the junior races. The payment of prize money in the senior races is dependent upon the athletes clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.