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Global Player Goes For Local Experiences: Hewlett Foundation Visit Uganda to learn about Village Budget Club (VBC) model

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By witnessradio.org Team

As the world is getting troubled by the rising population and youth unemployment especially in Africa, Hewlett Foundation visits a small sub-county in Uganda to learn about village Budget Club model that has won the political will from leaders at different levels to achieve localized and citizen-centered family planning budgets. The model promotes citizen empowerment and participation in decision making process.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, commonly known as the Hewlett Foundation, is a nonpartisan, private charitable foundation that advances ideas, established by Hewlett-Packard cofounder William Redington Hewlett and his wife Flora Lamson Hewlett in 1966.

According to the United Nations Population Division, in the past year the population of the African continent grew by 30 million. By the year 2050, population growth is expected to exceed 42 million people per year and total population will be close to billion. While Uganda alone has a population growth of 3.3% per annum.

Before traveling to Maanyi sub county, Hewlett Foundation Board interfaced with Mityana district leadership partners on Family planning and sexual reproductive health to hear experiences and learn best practices. Mr. Larry Kramer, the president of the Hewlett Foundation board noted that they are very excited to be in Uganda and Mityana in particular to get experiences and lean about how Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) empowers communities to hold leaders accountable and influence budgets for family planning and sexual reproductive health government level and they are looking forward to having a great experience and learn from them.

FOWODE’s Mityana Field Officer Sarah Nakintu, said the model strengthens natives’ voice in budget planning processes, advocating and monitoring how family planning funds have been utilized.

While interfacing with Hewlett Foundation Board, Village Budget Clubs (VBC) members shared their experiences saying, their capacities in gender budget monitoring and service delivery tracking were enhanced and they have the ability to generate information and identify gender issues in the monitored institutions.

“I had never thought that an ordinary citizen like me can have such power to influence decisions made within my district and the sub county. Before FOWODE’s interventions I was so inferior and being a woman I always shunned away from participating in community meetings and decision making spaces. After FOWODE building my capacity in monitoring and service delivery tracking, I realized that as a responsible citizen I should monitor the health facility in my area to engage leaders to ensure that quality services are provided to us especially Sexual reproductive Health and Family planning services. That is why as VBC’s we demanded for an ambulance for Maanyi HC III to transfer emergency cases especially the delivering or expectant mothers to Mityana Main Hospital which was provided hence improving on service delivery at this facility” Najjuuko Rose a VBC member informed the board members.

“As a man I did not care how many times my wife goes to the labour ward as long as she gave me babies and as a Muganda man having many children is prestigious in our culture. But after very many sensitizations on the importance of Family Planning I now understood that planning a family starts with the man since even the burden of looking after this family is shouldered by the man. So I sat with my wife and agreed on how many children we would like to have in the next coming years. I took on the initiative of reaching out to my fellow men with the message of planning their families and to support their wives access these services.” Sempeebwa Yusuf a VBC member shared.

Witnessradio.org can confirm that there is enhanced knowledge and skills of the VBCs to generate information and collect data on service delivery and gender issues in both schools and health facilities for evidence based advocacy and such information has been used for influencing planning and budgeting processes at both district and sub county levels.

Notably, Maanyi sub county VBC’s have influenced Budget allocations towards financing for family planning. For example a Family planning budget line was created at Maanyi Sub county budgeted at 200, 000/= for FY 2016/2017 which is being used for sensitization to create demand for Family Planning services.

Its not clear whether Hewlett Foundation will incorporate VBC model in their pragrammes and have it replicated in other parts of the world especially in Africa.

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Top 10 agribusiness giants: corporate concentration in food & farming in 2025

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Today a handful of agribusiness corporations have consolidated unprecedented control over the world’s food supply, with devastating consequences for farmers, consumers and the planet. A new report by ETC Group and GRAIN examines the state of corporate concentration in six sectors critical to agriculture: commercial seeds, pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, farm machinery, animal pharmaceuticals and livestock genetics.

Corporate consolidation is increasing in most of these sectors and four of them– seeds, pesticides, agricultural machinery and animal pharmaceuticals– now meet the definition of an oligopoly, in which four companies control more than 40% of a market. Concentration can be even higher at the national level, as is the case with synthetic fertilisers.

Top findings from the report include:

  • Oligopolies dominate key sectors: Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta, and BASF control 56% of the global commercial seeds market, and 61% of the pesticides market.
  • Profiteering amid global crises: Agribusiness giants have exploited crises like the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic to inflate prices. Fertiliser companies, for instance, saw revenues soar by 57% from 2020 to 2023, with some accused of price gouging.
  • Digital and biotech expansion: Corporations are rapidly integrating AI, gene editing, and digital platforms into agriculture through partnerships with Big Tech companies. These technologies enable data extraction from farmers, facilitate carbon credit schemes, and tighter control over food systems—while raising concerns about biosafety, privacy, and corporate monopolies.

View the Report

Source: grassrootsonline

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Land grabbers evict 360,000 Ugandans in 2024

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A staggering 363,021 Ugandans were displaced due to forced land evictions between January and June 2024, according to a new report by Witness Radio Uganda.

The report documented 90 cases of land evictions during this period, with nearly four incidents occurring weekly, affecting over 15,126 people and threatening 5,060 hectares of land nationwide.

The Central region was the epicenter, recording 52 eviction cases, followed by 24 in the Western region, eight in the Northern region, and six in the Eastern region. Alarmingly, the report estimated that 2,160 Ugandans face eviction daily, with 723 hectares of land at risk of being grabbed every day.

VIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Despite government promises and directives from President Museveni to halt evictions, land grabbers have routinely ignored these orders, often resorting to violence. Armed security forces, private militias, and police were reported to have carried out the majority of the evictions.

Of the reported cases, 37 were enforced by armed gangs on behalf of evictors, 25 involved Uganda Police, five were carried out with the participation of UPDF soldiers, and four were linked to private security companies.

“The egregious levels of impunity exhibited by land grabbers have left communities defenseless, creating an environment where their human rights are trampled without consequence,” said Jeff Wokulira Ssebaggala, country director of Witness Radio Uganda.

He called for accountability and justice, warning that the unchecked power of influential individuals and entities leaves marginalized communities vulnerable and without recourse.

DRIVERS OF EVICTIONS: INDUSTRIALIZATION AND LAND-BASED INVESTMENTS

The report identified the government’s push for industrialization and land-based investments as the primary drivers of forced evictions. Land is increasingly targeted for oil and gas extraction, mining, agribusiness and tree plantations for carbon offsets. While some of this land is already under development, other parcels remain vacant but are guarded by military personnel and private security firms.

Ssebaggala emphasized that industrialization must balance economic development with the protection of smallholder farmers’ rights to land and food security.

TRAGIC STORIES

The report highlighted harrowing cases that underscore the human toll of forced evictions. In Nakasongola, smallholder farmer Dan Ssebyala was ambushed and killed by armed men following a confrontation over disputed land. The district has become a hotspot for violent evictions involving absentee landlords and powerful investors.

Ismael Bwowe, a disabled father of 20, recounted how his land was confiscated after he demanded fair compensation. He faced intimidation, arrests and false charges from state authorities, including being accused of robbing an influential individual. Bwowe claimed that Total Energies offered legal support and representation on the condition that he accept their compensation terms.

“I refused,” he said, adding that the pressure to relinquish his land remains intense. The report underscores the urgent need for reforms to address forced evictions, ensure accountability, and protect the rights of vulnerable communities. Without meaningful intervention, Uganda risks deepening inequality and undermining the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who are essential to the country’s food security.

FAMILY JAILED AMID LAND DISPUTE

The plight of Richard Ssebagala, his wife Prossy Namande, and their relative Anania Ngabirano, residents of Kabubu-Kabongo village in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso district, highlights the human toll of Uganda’s ongoing land disputes. The family spent nine months in prison following their arrest on January 10, 2024, under controversial circumstances.

ARREST AND ALLEGATIONS

The arrests occurred at 1am, during a raid by officers from Luweero police station. Police reportedly banged on the doors and forcefully detained the family, accusing them of aggravated robbery. However, the family believes the arrest was a tactic linked to a land dispute with Benon Ntambi, a man who allegedly grabbed their land.

Before the arrests, Ntambi had reportedly destroyed crops, including tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas, on the contested land. While the family was incarcerated, a new building was constructed on their land, which is now occupied, raising further questions about the motivations behind their detention.

CALLS FOR JUSTICE

The case has drawn attention from Witness Radio Uganda, which has urged the government to take immediate action to address land grabbing and illegal evictions. The organization emphasized the need to strengthen land laws and protect vulnerable communities from abuses.

It also called for greater accountability in institutions such as the Uganda Police Force, the army and land registries, which are often accused of corruption and favoritism toward the wealthy.

“The government must prioritize justice for victims of illegal evictions and address systemic corruption that leaves the poor defenseless against land grabbers,” Witness Radio Uganda stated.

BROADER CONTEXT

This case underscores the broader issue of land conflicts in Uganda, where vulnerable families are often caught in disputes with powerful individuals or entities. Advocacy groups warn that the failure to address these issues not only erodes public trust but also perpetuates inequality and injustice.

As the government faces mounting pressure to act, the story of Ssebagala and his family serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reforms to protect land rights and ensure justice for those impacted by land disputes.

Source: The Observer

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Uganda: Community members violently evicted by security forces, allegedly related to EACOP; incl. co. responses

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On 10 February 2023, more than 2,500 community members were forcibly evicted from their land in Kapapi village in Hoima district in Western Uganda by security forces, receiving no compensation or resettlement.

Witness Radio, an Ugandan non-profit organisation comprised of human rights investigative journalists, lawyers, and social workers, said that many people were wounded during the eviction, women were raped, and houses were destroyed.

Witness Radio said its investigations found that this eviction occurred to clear the path for the Tilenga feeder pipeline, part of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). According to Witness Radio, in 2022 Kapapi community members’ land was surveyed for the Tilenga pipeline and people were informed they would be compensated for the land. Instead, they were forcibly evicted, which Witness Radio allege was backed and financed by Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, known to TotalEnergies. They also allege that guards from private security company Magnum Security were involved. Witness Radio has also found that dozens of local farmers who were evicted have been arbitrarily arrested and face criminal charges.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited TotalEnergies, Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, and Magnum Security to respond to the allegations. TotalEnergies responded and stated that no land eviction activities had been carried out by or on behalf of TotalEnergies EP Uganda (TEPU) and EACOP Ltd and that none of the affected people are Tilenga or EACOP Project Affected Persons. Swacoff responded and said that the company has never engaged in forceful eviction of any sort and asserts that these allegations are completely false. Their full responses and rejoinders from Witness Radio are available below. Magnum Security did not respond.

Source: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

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