Activist and government critic Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak (Courtesy photo)
A Juba High Court on Friday granted bail to activist and government critic Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak who is facing charges of defamation before a Juba County Court and being held at the detention centre of the National Security Service (NSS).
Mabior, a former refugee in Kenya, was abducted on February 4, 2023, in Nairobi and returned to South Sudan where he has since been detained by NSS officials, who refused to acknowledge that they were holding him until he was suddenly produced in court in April this year.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj this afternoon, Senior Advocate Kiir Chol Deng, representing the accused in court said the High Court Judge Francis Amum has quashed the County Court decision and ordered the release of the accused on bail.
“Last time during the trial we applied to have the accused released on bail but the presiding judge refused so we appealed against that decision to the High Court and the court now agrees with us that the accused is entitled to be bailed out because the offence upon which he is being tried is a bailable offence and he should not be jailed for 21 months,” Chol said.
The defense lawyer revealed that his client is facing two cases of defamation which are filed by the Internal Security Bureau (ISB) and another case of offence against the state.
“There are two cases, the one we are talking about is defamation and that defamation case was filed by an individual that is Gen. Akol Koor so here we are talking about defamation now the accused is going to be released on this case. The accused is also being detained by the National Security Services on the allegation that he committed some offences against the state and that case is now in the Supreme Court,” Chol explained.
“If the NSS fails to release my client then it will be a contempt of court. We will bring legal action against whoever refuses to implement the court order,” he concluded. Radio Tamazuj
High Court of Uganda. Photo: Alvinategyeka / Wikimedia Commons
ARTICLE 19 calls for the dismissal of terrorism charges against 36 individuals, predominantly people affiliated with the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), an opposition party in Uganda. The charges stem from allegations that they travelled from various regions of Uganda to Kisumu, Kenya between 22 and 23 July 2024, purportedly for engaging in activities related to terrorist training.
The charges against them must be dropped, and the government must carry out a comprehensive review and reform of anti-terrorism laws to align with international human rights standards and principles.
On 29 July, a Ugandan court levied terrorism charges against 36 individuals primarily affiliated with the prominent opposition party FDC. The accused were reportedly prevented from entering a plea as terrorism charges warrant a trial in a higher court due to their classification as capital offences. Consequently, they were remanded until 13 August.
Background
According to a former presidential aspirant for the FDC party, Kizza Besigye, on 23 July, 36 individuals affiliated with the party travelled to Kisumu, Kenya for a leadership workshop. Despite clearance from both Kenyan and Ugandan authorities for their trip, the group encountered violent attacks, confiscation of personal effects including laptops and phones, alleged torture, and injuries during and after their arrest.
Subsequently, they were transported back to Uganda without undergoing immigration procedures, detained incommunicado in safe houses within Uganda, and publicly presented as individuals surrendered by the Kenyan government due to their purported engagement in suspicious activity.
Before the court case, in a statement, law enforcement confirmed the detention of the 36 individuals over allegations of involvement in ‘subversive activities’. Additionally,authorities admonished the behaviour of certain political party members, who they said had facilitated discrete travel and operations in foreign countries without proper authorisation.
‘The judiciary should dismiss all charges against the 36 individuals related to this case and the government should refrain from employing criminal and anti-terror legislation as a means to stifle dissenting voices’, said Mugambi Kiai, ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa Regional Director.
Uganda enacted the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2002 to counter terrorism and establish punitive measures for individuals orchestrating, supporting, financing, or engaging in acts of terrorism. The legislation encompasses the condemnation of perpetration, planning, and participation in terrorist activities, with potential capital consequences for those found guilty. Subsequently, the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2017 conferred discretionary powers to entities such as the Directorate of Counter Terrorism, the Counter Terrorism Police Unit, and the Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce to carry out law enforcement and anti-terrorism endeavours.
ARTICLE 19 calls for the abandonment of terrorism charges against the 36 individuals, and a comprehensive review and reform of anti-terrorism laws and practices to align with international human rights standards and principles. The government must also commit to safeguarding civic space in Uganda from government overreach under the guise of national security measures. Article 19
Building on the success of its inaugural issue, the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), a global multilateral organization committed to enabling digital prosperity for all by accelerating the sustainable and inclusive growth of the digital economy, is proud to announce the launch of the second edition of EconomiX magazine. This publication serves as a key platform for knowledge sharing and insightful discussions on the ever-evolving digital landscape.
EconomiX magazine brings together thought leaders from governments, businesses, academia, and international organizations to explore critical topics influencing the global digital economy. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the magazine empowers stakeholders to harness the transformative power of digitalization and achieve sustainable economic growth.
The second issue of EconomiX delves into a range of thought-provoking themes, including empowering women via gender parity and technology, digitalizing women-led MSMEs and facilitating their access to user-friendly e-commerce platforms, equipping entrepreneurs with skills and tools to grow and thrive in the digital economy, digital FDI and the digital investment map, bringing global trade systems under one digital roof, combatting online misinformation, digital assets and tokenization, and deep diving into digital economies of several DCO Member States looking at the key projects, initiatives, and prospects, as well as the challenges they are facing and the opportunities they are leveraging.
“The DCO is committed to bridging the knowledge gap and fostering meaningful dialogue on crucial aspects of the digital economy. EconomiX magazine serves as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration, empowering our readers to navigate the complexities of the digital age and unlock its immense potential. Building on the success of the inaugural issue of EconomiX, this edition dives deeper into critical digital economy trends, offering insightful analysis and expert commentary to empower informed decision-making,” said Manel Bondi, the DCO Chief of Digital Markets Growth and Chief Editor of EconomiX.
This edition features exclusive interviews with prominent figures shaping the digital world, along with insightful articles and case studies that provide actionable guidance for navigating the digital revolution. Readers will gain valuable perspectives on leveraging digital transformation to drive economic and social prosperity.
State Department of Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu during a past engagement on August 7, 2024.
Kenya is pushing forward with its international labour initiatives by sending 350 seasonal workers to the United Kingdom, despite the recent wave of violent protests that have rocked the former colonial power.
This deployment is part of the Mkulima Majuu programme, which has been lauded as a major success by government officials.
The State Department of Diaspora confirmed that the workers, selected through the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, are set to embark on their six-month stint in the UK this August.
Their travel has been fully financed by the government, demonstrating Kenya's commitment to alleviating domestic unemployment and providing opportunities for its youth abroad.
This latest group of workers will arrive in the UK just as the country enters its crucial harvest season. The harvest period, spanning from late July to October, is a vital time for UK agriculture, with crops such as wheat, barley, potatoes, and carrots being gathered from the fields.
The Kenyan workers are expected to provide much-needed labour support during this busy period.During a send-off ceremony held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on August 9, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, expressed her satisfaction with the progress of the Mkulima Majuu programme.
"This initiative has transformed lives since its inception last year. From a humble beginning with three TVET institutions, we now have 13 institutions on board, and over 1,500 youths have benefitted," Njogu stated.
Njogu also highlighted the programme's potential for expansion, saying, "We anticipate further growth and are exploring opportunities in other global markets, including Canada and Australia, where our agricultural workers can thrive."
Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Alfred Mutua, echoed these sentiments, unveiling ambitious plans to dramatically increase the number of young Kenyans employed abroad. "We are currently dispatching 2,000 workers each week. My goal is to raise this number to 10,000 per week, which would mean 40,000 workers per month, translating to 1,000 workers per county each week," Mutua declared.
This strategy aligns with President William Ruto's vision of exporting 5,000 skilled and semi-skilled workers weekly, a plan that the government believes will significantly reduce unemployment and boost remittances.
The Mkulima Majuu programme is not merely a means of exporting labour; it also aims to enhance Kenya’s agricultural expertise. Upon returning to Kenya, the workers are expected to apply their newly acquired skills to local ventures, thereby contributing to the country's agricultural development.
Applications for the programme are processed through HOPS Labour Solutions Limited, in collaboration with the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process.
This initiative follows the government's successful deployment of 76 nurses to the UK last year under the Government-to-Government Bilateral Labour Agreement.
The Labour Ministry has been active in expanding Kenya's labour export footprint, with former Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore revealing earlier this year that 500 Kenyan workers had been sent to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Germany, and the UAE. By Samuel MwanawaNjuguna
Africa's debt stocks have grown significantly in the past decade. Understandably, African governments took advantage of historically low interest rates in the 2010s and borrowed heavily from international capital markets and China.
However, debt has recently become a lot more expensive. Since 2020, the impacts of COVID-19 and the on-going Ukraine war, coupled with worsening climate conditions have resulted in African governments having credit-rating downgrades, which consequently led to rapidly increasing their borrowing costs and made tapping international debt markets prohibitively expensive.
According to data by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), public debt in Africa reached USD 1.8 trillion in 2022. In 2024, African countries will pay US$163 billion in external debt service, according to the African Development Bank.
One in five people globally live in countries that are in debt distress or at risk of it. Two-thirds of low-income countries – most of them in Africa – fall into this category, while eight of the nine countries currently in debt distress are on the continent, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA) 2023.
Some of the factors that have contributed to the mounting debt crises in Africa are population explosion and rapid urbanization, massive infrastructure needs, declining availability of official development assistance and concessional financing.
Need for reforms
Recently, there have been collective clamour by African ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for decisive action to reform the global finance architecture in light of the mounting debts and to spur the investments needed for achieving sustainable development and climate goals around the world.
Pundits hold that the global financial system is structurally unfair to developing countries in general and more so to African countries in particular and that some crucial reforms are urgently needed to address the problem of Africa's mounting debt stock.
According to the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI, 2020), offering African countries debt instruments with more favourable terms or cash, in exchange for existing debt, will not only provide immediate liquidity but also address debt sustainability concerns in the long term.
In the absence of better mechanisms for debt-distressed countries in Africa, more governments will struggle to service their obligations and limit their ability to invest in providing the necessary development needs of their countries. This is even more pertinent considering the need for enhanced effort in attending to the challenges of climate change in the region, through effective climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
Africa's multilateral institutions
In the light of these challenges, there is the need for practical engagements anchored by African-led Development Finance Institutions (DFI's) such as the African Development Bank, to reform the global financial architecture and ensuring a transition from multilateralism to a plurilateral system of the global financial system – one that is more nimble, more inclusive, more flexible and realistic in responding to the changing nature of challenges that African countries face today.
Aligned with these, there is also the critical role of sector specific DFI's such as Shelter Afrique Development Bank and other relevant institutions that form part of the founding partners of the Alliance for African Multilateral Finance Institutions (AAMFI) - established under the auspices of the African Union, to support the implementation of Agenda-2063. Its formation underscores Africa's commitment to self-reliance and sustainable economic development.
It's believed that AAMFI , which is an alliance of African-owned and controlled African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AMFIs) whose membership also include African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), African Export - Import Bank, Trade and Development Bank Group, Africa Finance Corporation, African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re), ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company), East African Development Bank (EADB), and the African Solidarity Fund (ASF) will address Africa's development finance needs, advocate for Africa on global finance issues, develop innovative finance tools and support sustainable finance strategies. AAMFI is in a pole position to lead the financial reforms on behalf of the continent. And as an adage goes, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
The writer is with the Policy, Research, Partnerships and Advisory Services Unit at Shelter Afrique Development Bank and 2023 Fellow at the Asia Global Institute.
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