Five journalists and their driver died in a ghastly car crash on Tuesday 11 January in Nyamikoma area in Busega district, Simiyu Region in northern Tanzania.

The journalists were traveling in the convoy of the Simiyu Regional Commissioner, David Kafulila, to a public event in Ukerewe, as part of the tour of Mwanza province. 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Journalists Workers Union of Tanzania (JOWUTA) in extending its sincere condolences to the families of the journalists who lost their lives and to all the media fraternity in Tanzania. 

The vehicle was reportedly involved in a head collision with a minibus coming in the opposite direction which attempted to overtake other cars and crashed in their convoy of local communication officials, television and newspapers journalists.

According to a statement issued by JOWUTA, the media workers who lost their lives in the accident were Mwanza Regional Information officer, Abel Ngapemba, Ukerewe District Information Officer, Steven Msengi, Johari Shani of the Uhuru Media Group, Husna Mlonzi,  Anthony Chuwa of ITV and the Driver, Paul Silanga all died on the spot. Vanny Charles of Icon TV and Freelance journalist, Tunu Herman, sustained injuries and are still admitted in hospital.  The crash also claimed the lives of eight other passengers.

JOWUTA, who joins victims' families and loved ones in mourning, also paid tribute to all the deceased journalists for their service to the Tanzanian media with professionalism and dedication.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "This is a terrible tragedy that is devastating to the whole profession. These journalists died in the service of their public and their deaths are a huge loss to their families and profession. The IFJ extends its deepest condolences to their families, colleagues in JOWUTA and the entire media fraternity in Tanzania." - International Federation of Journalists

 By NANGAYI GUYSON

Kampala, Uganda - Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, a Ugandan satirical novelist who was selected International Writer of Courage by PEN last year, has been jailed and tortured for criticizing the President Yoweri Museveni and his son, according to his lawyer.

After a series of tweets against the country's President, Yoweri Museveni, including one calling him a crook and his son a potential successor "an ignorant pig-headed curmudgeon," gunmen arrived at the writer's home on December 28 and has since been in custody in unknown location.

On Monday, he was escorted by cops to the family's rural house for a search. His wife was astounded to see her husband weak, bruised, limping, and wearing bloodstained underwear.

She claimed she observed cuts on his feet, and he claimed there were more on his buttocks, as well as the fact that he had been denied food. "When I served him a drink of milk, he retched it," she wrote in her affidavit to the court.

The arrest and detention of Rukirabashaija has sparked widespread condemnation of President Museveni and his son, both abroad and locally.

Kiiza Eron, the author's lawyer, is urging that he be released, as Ugandan law only allows police to keep someone for 48 hours without charge. He has a court order for Rukirabashaija's release, but the authorities are refusing to comply.

"Police have admitted to keeping him, but they refuse to let us see him... he has been held incommunicado since the day of the search," Eron said.

PEN America demanded his immediate release.

"Despite the Ugandan authorities' persistent suppression of dissident viewpoints, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has bravely persevered to speak out," Karin Deutsch Karlekar, head of Free Expression at Risk programs, stated.

"These abuses of human rights show a vengeful application of the law, as well as the reality of many of the criticisms Rukirabashaija has made in his literature."

Eamon Gilmore, the EU's special envoy for human rights, is one of the diplomats who has also expressed his displeasure on twitter.

"Reports of author Kakwenza's alleged abuse and incommunicado confinement concern me. Despite a court order for his unconditional release, he remains in jail without trial. Eamon Gilmore said, "I urge Ugandan authorities to uphold the rule of law and due process."

The Ugandan Human Rights Commission (UHRC) released a statement on Friday a day after it said it was barred by the constitution from investigating cases before the court, such as that of the Kakwenza requesting that the government to "immediately" free novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, or present and charge him in court.

"The UHRC has been visiting several security and jail facilities across the country in the last few days to locate him.

Security agencies and relevant government officials have also been contacted by the Commission to guarantee that justice is served for Kakwenza.

While we continue our search for Kakwenza, we urge the government to either release him immediately or produce him and charge him in a courts of law," the statement read.

The novelist, on the other hand, has yet to be charged in a court of law. The Uganda Police Force has also ignored a court order to free the novelist granted by Makindye Chief Magistrate Court Grade One Magistrate Irene Nambatya on January 4, 2022.

Mr Charles Twiine, a spokesman for the Criminal Investigations Directorate, said on Monday that Kakwenza would be presented in court on Tuesday last week.

On Saturday, January 8, the East Africa Law Society (EALS), an umbrella regional bar organisation, released a statement "strongly denouncing" the infringement of Ugandan novelist and human rights campaigner Kakwenza Rukirabashaija's rights.

"The East Africa Law Society strongly condemns the violation of his rights as guaranteed by the Ugandan Constitution and several international instruments to which Uganda is a party, including the Treaty Establishing the East African Community, which requires member countries to ensure respect for human rights and rule of law (Articles 6 (d) and 7 (2))."

Most importantly, it should be underlined that EALS strongly opposes the continuous disobedience of the court order in this case.

"All judicial systems are built on the foundation of respect for court orders, which is the cornerstone of the rule of law. We implore the Ugandan government to obey the court's judgment and provide Mr. Rukirabashaija with constitutionally granted due process," Reads the statement.

The police have recently been accused of disobeying court orders, but Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka advised them not to do so in November. Mr Kiwanuka wrote to Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth-Ochola on November 4, 2021, instructing police to always follow all court instructions to avoid litigation and rewards.

Mr Kiwanuka wrote at the time, "The purpose of this letter is to advise you to direct your officers to comply with the said directives of the court and perform their duties and obligations as is required by law, as failure to do so may result in contempt of court proceedings filed against the Inspector General of Police personally."

The police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, subsequently stated that they will follow the Attorney General's court instructions. Mr Kakwenza's ongoing detention has been criticized by international and local human rights advocates.

Arrests on many occasions

The author obtained a claim for "The Greedy Barbarian," a satire novel set in 2020 that depicts high-level corruption in a fictional society. He won the PEN Pinter Prize for an International Writer of Courage in 2021, which is given yearly to a writer who has been persecuted for expressing their opinions.

Since the publication of "The Greedy Barbarian," Kakwenza has been detained several times. He claims he was tortured while being questioned about his work by military intelligence.

He was accused of breaking the Covid-19 social distance regulations, inciting violence, and encouraging sectarianism at the time. In his most recent book, "banana republic: Where Writing is Treasonous," he described his experience in detention as "inhumane and demeaning."

Museveni has ruled Uganda since assuming power in 1986, when he helped end years of dictatorship under Idi Amin and Milton Obote. He was once lauded as a reformer.

However, the former rebel leader has cracked down on criticism and amended the constitution to allow him to run for office multiple times.

Journalists have been attacked, lawyers have been imprisoned, election monitors have been prosecuted, and opposition leaders have been violently muzzled in Uganda because of Museveni's dictatorship.

The US imposed sanctions on Uganda's military intelligence head, Major General Abel Kandiho, last month, alleging his role in significant human rights violations such as beatings, sexual assault, and electrocution.

Two additional members of Uganda's military forces were sentenced to long prison terms just two days after the punishments were imposed for their roles in the violence against demonstrators in 2020, which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people.

By NANGAYI GUYSON

Kampala, Uganda - Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, a Ugandan satirical novelist who was selected International Writer of Courage by PEN last year, has been jailed and tortured for criticizing the President Yoweri Museveni and his son, according to his lawyer.

After a series of tweets against the country's President, Yoweri Museveni, including one calling him a crook and his son a potential successor "an ignorant pig-headed curmudgeon," gunmen arrived at the writer's home on December 28 and has since been in custody in unknown location.

On Monday, he was escorted by cops to the family's rural house for a search. His wife was astounded to see her husband weak, bruised, limping, and wearing bloodstained underwear.

She claimed she observed cuts on his feet, and he claimed there were more on his buttocks, as well as the fact that he had been denied food. "When I served him a drink of milk, he retched it," she wrote in her affidavit to the court.

The arrest and detention of Rukirabashaija has sparked widespread condemnation of President Museveni and his son, both abroad and locally.

Kiiza Eron, the author's lawyer, is urging that he be released, as Ugandan law only allows police to keep someone for 48 hours without charge. He has a court order for Rukirabashaija's release, but the authorities are refusing to comply.

"Police have admitted to keeping him, but they refuse to let us see him... he has been held incommunicado since the day of the search," Eron said.

PEN America demanded his immediate release.

"Despite the Ugandan authorities' persistent suppression of dissident viewpoints, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has bravely persevered to speak out," Karin Deutsch Karlekar, head of Free Expression at Risk programs, stated.

"These abuses of human rights show a vengeful application of the law, as well as the reality of many of the criticisms Rukirabashaija has made in his literature."

Eamon Gilmore, the EU's special envoy for human rights, is one of the diplomats who has also expressed his displeasure on twitter.

"Reports of author Kakwenza's alleged abuse and incommunicado confinement concern me. Despite a court order for his unconditional release, he remains in jail without trial. Eamon Gilmore said, "I urge Ugandan authorities to uphold the rule of law and due process."

The Ugandan Human Rights Commission (UHRC) released a statement on Friday a day after it said it was barred by the constitution from investigating cases before the court, such as that of the Kakwenza requesting that the government to "immediately" free novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, or present and charge him in court.

"The UHRC has been visiting several security and jail facilities across the country in the last few days to locate him.

Security agencies and relevant government officials have also been contacted by the Commission to guarantee that justice is served for Kakwenza.

While we continue our search for Kakwenza, we urge the government to either release him immediately or produce him and charge him in a courts of law," the statement read.

The novelist, on the other hand, has yet to be charged in a court of law. The Uganda Police Force has also ignored a court order to free the novelist granted by Makindye Chief Magistrate Court Grade One Magistrate Irene Nambatya on January 4, 2022.

Mr Charles Twiine, a spokesman for the Criminal Investigations Directorate, said on Monday that Kakwenza would be presented in court on Tuesday last week.

On Saturday, January 8, the East Africa Law Society (EALS), an umbrella regional bar organisation, released a statement "strongly denouncing" the infringement of Ugandan novelist and human rights campaigner Kakwenza Rukirabashaija's rights.

"The East Africa Law Society strongly condemns the violation of his rights as guaranteed by the Ugandan Constitution and several international instruments to which Uganda is a party, including the Treaty Establishing the East African Community, which requires member countries to ensure respect for human rights and rule of law (Articles 6 (d) and 7 (2))."

Most importantly, it should be underlined that EALS strongly opposes the continuous disobedience of the court order in this case.

"All judicial systems are built on the foundation of respect for court orders, which is the cornerstone of the rule of law. We implore the Ugandan government to obey the court's judgment and provide Mr. Rukirabashaija with constitutionally granted due process," Reads the statement.

The police have recently been accused of disobeying court orders, but Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka advised them not to do so in November. Mr Kiwanuka wrote to Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth-Ochola on November 4, 2021, instructing police to always follow all court instructions to avoid litigation and rewards.

Mr Kiwanuka wrote at the time, "The purpose of this letter is to advise you to direct your officers to comply with the said directives of the court and perform their duties and obligations as is required by law, as failure to do so may result in contempt of court proceedings filed against the Inspector General of Police personally."

The police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, subsequently stated that they will follow the Attorney General's court instructions. Mr Kakwenza's ongoing detention has been criticized by international and local human rights advocates.

Arrests on many occasions

The author obtained a claim for "The Greedy Barbarian," a satire novel set in 2020 that depicts high-level corruption in a fictional society. He won the PEN Pinter Prize for an International Writer of Courage in 2021, which is given yearly to a writer who has been persecuted for expressing their opinions.

Since the publication of "The Greedy Barbarian," Kakwenza has been detained several times. He claims he was tortured while being questioned about his work by military intelligence.

He was accused of breaking the Covid-19 social distance regulations, inciting violence, and encouraging sectarianism at the time. In his most recent book, "banana republic: Where Writing is Treasonous," he described his experience in detention as "inhumane and demeaning."

Museveni has ruled Uganda since assuming power in 1986, when he helped end years of dictatorship under Idi Amin and Milton Obote. He was once lauded as a reformer.

However, the former rebel leader has cracked down on criticism and amended the constitution to allow him to run for office multiple times.

Journalists have been attacked, lawyers have been imprisoned, election monitors have been prosecuted, and opposition leaders have been violently muzzled in Uganda because of Museveni's dictatorship.

The US imposed sanctions on Uganda's military intelligence head, Major General Abel Kandiho, last month, alleging his role in significant human rights violations such as beatings, sexual assault, and electrocution.

Two additional members of Uganda's military forces were sentenced to long prison terms just two days after the punishments were imposed for their roles in the violence against demonstrators in 2020, which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people.

The Duke of York will face a civil trial in America over sexual abuse claims after a US judge dismissed his attempt to have the lawsuit thrown out.

Prince Andrew is being sued by Virginia Roberts Giuffre for rape after he allegedly sexually abused her when she was 17

Andrew denies all allegations against him

The civil trial is expected to be held between September and December this year. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the development, saying: “We would not comment on what is an ongoing legal matter."

Ms Giuffre alleges that she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 on sex trafficking charges.

Lawyers for Andrew called for the civil lawsuit to be dismissed, arguing Ms Giuffre waived her right to sue him after signing a $500,000 dollar settlement agreement with Epstein in 2009.

In it, Ms Giuffre had agreed to "release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge" Epstein and "any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant".

In court, Andrew's lawyer Andrew Brettler said it was "unquestionable" that he could have been sued in the 2009 case, and would therefore be considered a "potential defendant".

But Ms Giuffre's lawyer David Boies said Andrew would not have been considered as the duke was never accused of trafficking individuals for illegal sexual activity.

Mr Boies added: "He was somebody to whom the girls were trafficked, that's a different criteria."

Outlining his reasons for denying the Duke of York’s motion to dismiss the civil case against him, Judge Lewis Kaplan said an agreement in the civil settlement between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre “cannot be said” to benefit him.

In his ruling, he said: “The 2009 Agreement cannot be said to demonstrate, clearly and unambiguously, the parties intended the instrument ‘directly,’ ‘primarily,’ or ‘substantially,’ to benefit Prince Andrew.

“The existence of the requisite intent to benefit him, or others comparable to him, is an issue of fact that could not properly be decided on this motion even if defendant fell within the releasing language, which itself is ambiguous.

“Thus, independent of whether the release language applies to Prince Andrew, the agreement, at a minimum, is ‘reasonably susceptible to more than one interpretation’ on the equally important question of whether this defendant may invoke it.” By Kate Buck, Yahoo News