On April 19, 2020, the Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament arrested by security agents, tortured and detained for over one week without the due process of the law taking place.

On March 26, police shot two construction workers, Alex Oryem and Kassim Ssebudde, who were riding a bodaboda motorcycle in Mukono District.

March 28, six police officers shot at a group of people in Bududa, in the Eastern region of Uganda, injuring one, ostensibly to enforce the ban on public gatherings. 

On March 26, members of the LDU used wires and sticks to beat people, including motorcycle riders and vendors selling fruit and vegetables in downtown Kampala in an apparent attempt to punish non-compliance with the measures to close non-food markets.

On March 31, Alfred Ssembajjwe, a Journalist was attacked by LDU personnel wielding sticks.

On March 29, community residents and police raided a shelter for homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in Wakiso District, beat and arrested 23 people, including shelter residents^[2] for allegedly disobeying the government’s directives by residing in the shelter.

Government should note that, Police brutality is always prohibited, pandemic or no pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic does not give the government and authorities the right to attack critics and opposition members or dispense with due process.

States parties to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights are obliged to take appropriate measures to give effect to the rights, duties, and freedoms enshrined in the charter, including through taking measures necessary for preventing threats to the life, safety, and health of people, but these measures must also respect human and peoples’ rights and protection of vulnerable groups.

Based on the above, Street Law Uganda (SLU) demands that;

1. The basic human rights of people should be at the center of the government’s response to this pandemic, especially those who are most vulnerable like street vendors, and homeless youths.
2. The government should instruct all enforcement officers not to use violence and publicly hold those who do commit abuses to account.
3. Uganda’s authorities should urgently look into these allegations and hold those responsible to account.
4. The security agencies should follow the laws of Uganda while executing arrests.

Statement issued by 

Street Law Uganda (SLU)

^[1] The Committee to protect Journalists – Report 2010

^[2] Human Rights and Protection Forum (HRAPF), a legal aid organization, report.

The Commission adopted the Declaration during its 65^th ordinary session which was held from 21^st October to 10^thNovember 2019 in the Gambian capital Banjul.

The revised Declaration replaces the 2002 Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa. The initiative to revise the Declaration was undertaken by the special rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information.

The adoption of the Declaration is a landmark development that elaborates Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and will contribute to an enhanced normative standard for freedom of expression, access to information since it embraces new technological advances, on-line activity and internet restrictions in Africa.

Detailed information on. https://www.chr.up.ac.za/expression-information-and-digital-rights-news/2056-african-commission-publishes-revised-declaration-of-principles-of-freedom-of-expression-and-access-to-information-in-africa-amid-covid-19-crisis

Media reports, journals, research findings including reports such as the Africa Peer Review Mechanism country review report on Uganda allude to the serious land problem in Uganda. The National Land Policy, 2013 acknowledges that land disputes and conflicts define contemporary Uganda.

These conflicts are traced to the colonial legacy and Uganda’s long tumultuous history punctuated by radical land regimes and anecdotes of historical events that have shaped the current system. Land holding in the pre-colonial era was predominantly governed by customary practices and traditional norms and characterized by social trusteeship with authority vested in the royals/traditional authorities or clan elders.  This has over the past more than 100 years evolved particularly with the advent of imperial rule in the 19^th century into dual (customary and formal) land holding in Uganda and marked origin of the Torrents system of land registration which was individualistic in nature

Land in Uganda has switched ownership in forms with twists and turns from the customary nature to dual (customary and formal). At one point ownership was vested in the state under the 1975 Land Reform Decree. Presently the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 vest ownership of land in the citizens of Uganda through four land tenure systems namely: – Customary, Freehold, Mailo and Leasehold.

These changes have caused a mix up in conception and appreciation of the land laws leading to conflicts/disputes among others ranging from intra to inter family, among and between communities and between the community and the state with the form of tenure determining the nature of conflict.     Underlying these conflicts is ignorance, vulnerability, greed, bad faith, etc. Some are lying latent while others have become explosive as land rights overlap with multiple rights holders over the same piece of land.

The awareness programme is often conducted through three activities namely:

• Holding seminars/workshops for selected target groups
• Publications
• Media