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DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

Signs of harmful projects with financing from development institutions are spotted in Uganda…

Published

3 years ago

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By Witness Radio Team.

The growth of a country is discerned by great leaders and innovators who see opportunities out of darkness and transform their areas from nothing to success. Those are great leaders whose interest is to see the developments in their countries and the well-being of their citizens.

Every single day, countries all over the world receive investors that acquire loans, grants, and donations to implement mega projects that are seemingly expected to develop host countries. countries and investors borrowing the money Often, countries and investors portray how these projects improve the livelihood of the browbeaten, au contraire, they have left many broken families, poor-dirty homesteads, and shattered dreams.

Uganda is one of those countries, whose citizens have paid a price for reckless or unsupervised and profit-led international investment. In a bid to implement its industrial policy, the country has welcomed both foreign and local investors with interests in the fields of extraction, industrial agriculture, carbon credit tree plantation, mining, infrastructural projects, and many others.

It has received billions of dollars from different financiers including commercial banks, Pension Funds, and International Development Finance Banks or institutions, among others. For instance, the World Bank has invested more than 20 Billion Dollars since 1963 and currently

Every project comes with its own chilling story. More often their stories are unheard by the World. Witness Radio – Uganda surveyed some projects in Uganda. This study revealed agony, illegal evictions, abject poverty, environmental degradation, and loss of life among others, as some of the consequences suffered by the would-be beneficiaries of these international funded projects across the country.

In the capital of Uganda, Kampala, over 1750 families were forcefully evicted from a city suburb, Naguru, for Naguru- Nakawa housing estates.  11 years down the road the project that was highly hyped is to take off on the grabbed land. Pleas from the victims of the eviction to regain their land have all fallen on deaf ears.

About 80km away from Kampala is the island district of Kalangala surrounded by the World’s second-largest lake, Victoria, and known for palm growing. When the palm-oil project was introduced to residents they were given the impression that it would improve their livelihoods and create job opportunities.  Instead, it has dumped thousands into poverty after their land was grabbed by BIDCO, a Wilmer international-funded project. People lost land and now work on plantations as casual laborers. The neighboring communities are accusing BIDCO workers of sexual and gender-based violence.

In the South-Western District of Kiryandongo, multinational companies including Agilis Partners Limited, Kiryandongo Sugar Limited, and Great Seasons SMC Limited with funding from The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, and Common Fund for Commodities among other financiers are forcefully evicting more than 35,000 people. The eviction has been on since 2017.

Workers that worked on a World Bank Project in Soroti, in the far east of the country, are accused of sexually harassing minors. Several young girls were defiled and left pregnant. Despite the government being aware of this none of the pedophiles have been brought to book, the World Bank-funded project in the Eastern Town of Soroti left several underage girls defiled and impregnated.

In late 2020, residents of Kawaala zone II woke up to the hail of armed men and graders evicting and destroying their properties to implement a multimillion-dollar project funded by the World Bank. The project is being implemented by the Kampala Capital city Authority (KCCA) on behalf of the government of Uganda.

The above-listed and other projects, on the other hand, continue to perpetuate violence and judicial harassment against leaders of Project Affected Persons (PAPs) and community land and environmental rights defenders because of their work that resists illegal evictions and destruction of the environment among others.

Although project implementers such as government entities accuse local communities of occupying land targeted for projects illegally, in most cases victim communities have rights over these pieces of land because their settlement on the same land can be traced to have happened generations ago.

No matter how people are negatively impacted being by these harmful projects, financiers continue to release more money to the government and investors. The banks aim at profit margins other than the livelihoods of the people. In Bulebi village, Mbazi parish, Mpunge Sub County in Mukono district, Akon’s futuristic city is about to lead to the eviction of over 1000 residents whose entire lives have been built on their land.

In April last year, American rapper Aliaune Damala Badara well known for his stage name AKON visited Uganda in search of land for constructing the city. On the same business trip, he met President Museveni Yoweri Kaguta and expressed his interest in building a futuristic city with its currency. The president ordered the Ministry of Lands, housing, and urban development to look out for free land for his city.

However, on 7th Jan 2022, the Uganda Land Commission showed the Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development “Hon Judith Nabakooba” land that was proposed for the Akon city. According to the Uganda land commission, the land is Freehold Volume 53 Folio 9 measuring I square mile.

This has sparked outrage amongst the affected as they were never consulted or consented to allow the project in their community. According to community members that Witness Radio interviewed, they said they heard the distressing news of Akon city through the Media.

The community said no official from the ministry has ever approached them about their land giveaway. “Our country is full of land evictions and evictors begin in that way. There has been no official coming on the ground to officially inform us about the project and neither have we heard any official communication of compensation.” Obori said.

Residing in the attractive village surrounded by freshwaters, the community asserts this has been the source of livelihood and advised the government to get alternative land for the City.

Controversies surrounding the land giveaway and ownership of the area still exist. A section of residents have protested and vowed not to surrender their land for the City. They claim to have acquired freehold titles from the Mukono lands board.

Related posts:

Breaking: over 350,000 acres of land were grabbed during Witness Radio – Uganda’s seven months ban. The committee calls for the protection of projects’ host communities. Why UN Food systems summit is irrelevant to Uganda’s smallholder farmers: A case of capitalism pushing the poor away from family land Development banks have no business financing agribusiness Development financiers fuel human rights abuses – New Report

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DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

Breaking: Buganda Road Court grants bail to 15 stop EACOP activists after 30 days in prison.

Published

1 week ago

on

December 11, 2024

By

By Witness Radio team.

The Magistrate at Buganda Road Court has granted non-cash bail to 15 stop EACOP activists from Kyambogo and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Universities. They spent 30 days in detention at Luzira Maximum Security Prison on charges of common nuisance.

After the defense lawyers successfully applied for bail, on 10th December, the trial magistrate, Her Worship Nankya Winnie, granted a non-cash bail of 500,000 Uganda Shillings (approximately 136.50 USD) for each activist and their sureties.

The hearing of the bail application for the EACOP activists flopped yesterday. It was adjourned after it was reported that the then-presiding magistrate, Her Worship Sanula Nambozo, had been transferred to another duty station and replaced by Her Worship Nankya Winnie.

The accused activists are all young students from the universities mentioned above. The students include Simon Peter Wafula, Gary Wettaka, Martin Sserwambala, Erick Ssekandi, Arafat Mawanda, Akram Katende, Dedo Sean Kevin, Noah Katiti, Oscar Nuwagaba, Oundo Hamphrance, Bernard Mutenyo, Nicholas Pele, Shadiah Nabukenya, Shafiq Kalyango, and Makose Mark.

They were arrested in early November 2024 for protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project in Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The EACOP project, a major oil pipeline, has been controversial due to its potential environmental impact, including the risk of oil spills and deforestation, and the alleged human rights violations associated with its construction, such as forced evictions and land grabbing.

Despite the risks, the activists marched to Uganda’s Parliament to meet the Speaker and raise concerns about the EACOP project. The peaceful march reiterated numerous concerns raised by civil societies and the European Parliament about the project’s negative impacts.

The EACOP project, which will transport crude oil from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanzania’s Tanga seaport, has been criticized for delayed compensation for affected persons and secretive agreements. The potential impact on the environment and human rights is a cause for concern.

On 11th November, the accused were charged with common nuisance. Section 160 (1) of the Penal Code Act states that anyone charged with common nuisance is liable to one-year imprisonment on conviction. This charge, frequently imposed against individuals peacefully protesting in Uganda, has notably been used against Stop EACOP activists. While common nuisance addresses acts causing inconvenience or disruption to the public, it is crucial to emphasize that the accused were engaged in peaceful protest, causing no harm or disturbance.

The prosecution alleges that on 11th November 2024, the accused gathered at Parliamentary Avenue, peacefully expressing their dissent and causing no harm. Yet, they were charged with common nuisance, which seems unjust given their peaceful protest. It’s important to note that their protest was non-violent and aimed at raising awareness about the potential negative impacts of the EACOP project.

The court has adjourned the case to 16th January 2025 for a hearing.

Related posts:

Buganda Road Court will hear a bail application for 15 EACOP activists today. Breaking: The Bail Application for the 15 EACOP Activists flops for the second time, as the trial magistrate is reported to have been transferred. A bail application for the 15 EACOP activists failed to take off, and they were remanded back to Prison. Breaking: 15 Anti-EACOP Activists have been charged with common nuisance and remanded to Luzira prison. Breaking: Mwanga II Court grants bail to two defenders and a Project Affected Person (PAP).1
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DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

Breaking: The Bail Application for the 15 EACOP Activists flops for the second time, as the trial magistrate is reported to have been transferred.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

December 10, 2024

By

By Witness Radio team.

A bail application for the 15 EACOP activists from Kyambogo and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Universities currently on remand at Luzira Maximum Prison on charges of common nuisance has flopped for the second time due to the absence of the presiding magistrate.

The prosecution stated that the bail application could not proceed because the presiding magistrate, Her Worship Sanula Nambozo, had been transferred to another court. As a result, the case file was allocated to a new magistrate, Her Worship Nankya Winnie. She rescheduled to hear the bail application for today, October 10th, 2024, at 9 a.m. EAT.

The bail application for the 15 activists has faced yet another setback, marking the second failed attempt.

This delay in the bail application process means that these young students continue to be held in remand at Luzira Maximum Prison, a situation that is undoubtedly taking a toll on them. On November 16th, 2024, the bail hearing was disrupted due to the absence of two student activists, Wafula Simon and Kalyango Shafik. During that court session, the prosecution informed the court that both individuals were unwell, suffering from red eyes, and had been placed in isolation at the prison hospital.

The activists on remand, all young students, include Simon Peter Wafula, Gary Wettaka, Martin Sserwambala, Erick Ssekandi, Arafat Mawanda, Akram Katende, Dedo Sean Kevin, Noah Katiti, Oscar Nuwagaba, Oundo Hamphrance, Bernard Mutenyo, Nicholas Pele, Shadiah Nabukenya, Shafiq Kalyango, and Makose Mark.

The 15 were arrested in early November 2024 for protesting against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project in Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The EACOP project, a major oil pipeline, has been a subject of controversy due to its potential environmental impact and the alleged human rights violations associated with its construction.

Despite the risks, the activists marched to Uganda’s Parliament to meet the Speaker of Parliament and raise concerns about the EACOP project. Their persistence in the face of adversity is truly inspiring.

The EACOP project, which will transport crude oil from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanzania’s Tanga seaport, has been criticized for delayed compensation for affected persons and secretive agreements. The potential impact on the environment and human rights is a cause for concern.

On November 11th, the accused were charged with common nuisance. Section 160 (1) of the Penal Code Act states that anyone charged with common nuisance is liable to one-year imprisonment on conviction. The charge of common nuisance is often used in cases where individuals are accused of causing inconvenience or disruption to the public, but it is important to note that the accused were peacefully protesting and causing no harm.

The prosecution alleges that on November 11th, 2024, the accused gathered at Parliamentary Avenue, peacefully expressing their dissent and causing no harm. Yet, they were charged with common nuisance, a charge that seems unjust given their peaceful protest.

The third attempt for the bail application of the 15 activists has been rescheduled for hearing today at 9 a.m. EAT before Her Worship Nankya Winnie of the Buganda Road Court.

Related posts:

Buganda Road Court will hear a bail application for 15 EACOP activists today. A bail application for the 15 EACOP activists failed to take off, and they were remanded back to Prison. Breaking: 15 Anti-EACOP Activists have been charged with common nuisance and remanded to Luzira prison. Breaking: 15 Anti-EACOP Activists Arrested in Kampala While Marching to Parliament Breaking: Mwanga II Court grants bail to two defenders and a Project Affected Person (PAP).1
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DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

Buganda Road Court will hear a bail application for 15 EACOP activists today.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

December 9, 2024

By

By Witness Radio team.

A bail application for the 15 EACOP activists from Kyambogo and Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Universities currently on remand on charges of common nuisance will take off today.

On November 16, 2024, attempts to apply for bail for the 15 students flopped due to the absence of two activist students in court.

The prosecution informed the court that Wafula Simon and Kalyango Shafik were sick and suffering from red eyes. They were placed in an isolation room in the prison hospital, thus causing a setback to earlier bail application attempts.

The activists on remand, all young students, include Simon Peter Wafula, Gary Wettaka, Martin Sserwambala, Erick Ssekandi, Arafat Mawanda, Akram Katende, Dedo Sean Kevin, Noah Katiti, Oscar Nuwagaba, Oundo Hamphrance, Bernard Mutenyo, Nicholas Pele, Shadiah Nabukenya, Shafiq Kalyango, and Makose Mark.

They were arrested in early November 2024 for protesting against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project in Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The activists, undeterred by the risks, were marching to Uganda’s Parliament to meet the Speaker of Parliament and raise concerns about the EACOP project, including the continued gross human rights violations/abuses, the significant threat it poses to the environment, and the criminalization of the mega project’s critics.

The EACOP project will transport crude oil from Uganda’s Albertine region to Tanzania’s Tanga seaport. The project has been criticized for delayed compensation for affected persons and secretive agreements.

On November 11, the accused were charged with common nuisance. Section 160 (1) of the Penal Code Act states that anyone charged with common nuisance is liable to one-year imprisonment on conviction.

The prosecution alleges that on November 11, 2024, the accused gathered at Parliamentary Avenue, peacefully expressing their dissent and causing no harm, yet they were charged with common nuisance. They were accused of causing disruption and inconvenience by holding an unauthorized demonstration on the road while displaying placards and banners opposing the oil pipeline.

The bail application for the 15 activists will be presented before Her Worship  Sanula Nambozo the Grade One Magistrate of Buganda Road Court.

Related posts:

Some of the 15 activists standing in the court dock.
A bail application for the 15 EACOP activists failed to take off, and they were remanded back to Prison. Breaking: 15 Anti-EACOP Activists have been charged with common nuisance and remanded to Luzira prison. Mubende Land Grab: Anxiety as court finally fixed a date to hear bail application for seven Formasa victims Mubende Land Grab: Judge declines to hear bail application, sends suspects back to prison Breaking: 15 Anti-EACOP Activists Arrested in Kampala While Marching to Parliament
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