Samia Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania received on Friday the Chairman of the State Council. Photo via Times of Oman

Dodoma: Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalil, Chairman of the State Council, participated in the celebrations of the 60th Independence Day anniversary of Tanzania.

Samia Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania received on Friday the Chairman of the State Council.

The meeting reviewed the bilateral relations and ways of their enhancement for further development and prosperity of the two countries.

During the meeting, the Chairman of the State Council conveyed His Majesty’s greetings and wishes to the president and for her country’s people further progress and prosperity.

In her turn, President Samia asked Sheikh Al Khalili to convey her greeting and wishes to His Majesty the Sultan and the Government of the Sultanate and for the Omani people further progress and prosperity.

Sheikh Abdulmalik bin Abdullah Al Khalil, and his accompanying delegation returned to the Sultanate yesterday after taking part in the Independence Day anniversary celebrations of Tanzania. - Times of Oman

MP Fatuma Ndangiza, Chairperson of the East African Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution, on Saturday, December 11, delivered a solidarity statement during the “special occasion” of the adoption of the Southern African Development Community Model Law on Gender-Based Violence.

Her message of solidarity, delivered on behalf of EALA, was delivered at the 50th SADC Parliamentary forum plenary session. 

The SADC Model Law on Gender-Based Violence, she noted, is “such an important legal instrument” that provides an opportunity to strengthen synergy with the SADC Parliamentary Forum to “outlaw GBV from our respective regions.”

Ndangiza said: “Gender based violence is a serious concern that constitute gross human rights violation of women’s rights and a threat to peace and security in the African Continent and globally. 

“The Model Law is very comprehensive and has best practice provisions that can be adopted by member states or adapted to fit their existing laws.”

The adoption of the SADC Model Law happened a day after the 16 days of activism against gender based violence themed: ’’Orange the world: end violence against women now.”

It also took place after a few weeks when DR Congo President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi  - who is the AU 2021 Chairperson - organized a men’s conference in Kinshasa, on the positive masculinity: Galvanizing to end the scourge of violence in Africa. 

The high level event was attended by a number of African Heads of State including  President Paul Kagame and former Liberian President, Ellen Johnsson Sirlief.

Ndangiza noted that it is well established that sexual and gender-based violence is caused by unequal power relations between men and women, socio-cultural norms that normalize GBV practices and changing gender roles.

Poverty and illiteracy, she said, breakdown of the family unit and support systems, insecurity, crisis and conflict and political instability also contribute to sexual and gender-based violence. 

“It is very important therefore to ensure that we address the root causes of GBV and tackle all its enabling factors,” Ndangiza said.

“To that effect, Parliament should discharge its mandate to advance gender equality through gender-responsive legislation, equal representation in decision-making, governance and holding our governments accountable on gender commitments.”

According to the UN women, globally, one in three women have been subjected to intimate partner violence or both at least once in their life (30% of women aged 15 and above). 

“This figure excludes sexual harassment. Despite a number of interventions against GBV by various stakeholders, the magnitude of GBV, as amplified by the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic remains at a very alarming level. The latest figures of UN women confirm that during the pandemic, levels of violence against women and girls have increased,” she said.

As noted, across 13 countries, almost half of all women reported GBV or saw a woman who experienced GBV during the pandemic and almost a quarter of women reported household conflicts had become more frequent. The same proportion felt less safe at home. 

In the EAC region, a Regional Forum themed Borderless Partnership against Gender Based Violence which was convened to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against GBV observed that Partner States reported a 48 per cent sharp increase in the number of GBV cases due to Covid-19 pandemic.  

The forms of violence include rape, defilement, unwanted pregnancies, increased infection rates of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV as well as injuries and mutilation of body parts. 

Ndangiza said: “We are also aware that these data do not include many unreported cases of GBV for fear of stigmatization and avoidance of family shame.”

The AU categorises violence against women as “one of the most egregious forms” of discrimination and a critical impediment to women’s realization of their fundamental human rights. 

Ending violence and discrimination against women and girls is thus one of the AU priorities so as to achieve full gender equality in all spheres of life on the continent.

Ndangiza assured SADC lawmakers of EALA’s readiness and commitment to partner with them  “as we strive” to achieve effective implementation of regional and national laws against GBV.  

“To that effect, we should explore joint actions to be undertaken within our traditional roles of legislation, representation and oversight. Violence against women and girls is unacceptable, we must join our efforts to tackle the root causes of violence, change patriarchal mindsets and engage men to eliminate violence against women and girls.” - James Karuhanga, The New Times

By NANGAYI GUYSON

Kampala, Uganda- After a year marked by big political events, Ugandans greeted the year 2021 with fears of political turmoil ahead, owing to general elections scheduled for 14 January 2021 to elect the President and Parliament. President Yoweri Museveni, the veteran dictator, was pronounced the winner of the election, which was marked by outbreaks of violence and a violent crackdown on opposition gatherings during the campaigning period. 

More than 50 people were killed as a result of harsh policing tactics, including the use of live ammunition fired without notice, and at least 20 more died in incidents related to the election riots.

Hundreds of individuals have gone missing in the East African country, according to human rights organizations. In March, Bobi Wine's party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), produced a list of 243 people, the majority of them were activists, who had been kidnapped by security personnel.Some of those who were released claimed they had been tortured before being placed in remote regions at night.

UN calls on Uganda to end post-election crackdown.

This prompted Human rights experts from the United Nations to urge Uganda government to put an end to the ruthless crackdown on political opponents that began in the run-up to the disputed general elections in January and increased afterward.

"We are especially concerned about reports of widespread and ongoing repression of opposition leaders and sympathizers," the experts warned.

"More than 50 people have been killed as a result of harsh policing tactics, including the use of live ammunition fired without notice, and at least 20 more have died in incidents related to the election."

They asked Kampala to investigate and punish all claims of extrajudicial murders, arbitrary arrest and detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and ill treatment, among other human rights crimes.

Machete attacks and Bomb blasts 

In the months of July and August, at least 26 people were reported killed by suspected ADF Machete Wielding terrorists  using machetes, clubs and other blunt objects in Masaka city and Lwengo district.

Two bomb blasts in Kampala's downtown area in November brought back memories of the 2010 bombings, which killed 76 Ugandans who were out enjoying the city's renowned nightlife.

Since an explosion rocked a pork shop in a Kampala neighborhood three weeks ago, Uganda has been subject to a series of bombings targeting various sites, wounding, and killing Ugandans.

The bombs that exploded outside the Central Police Station and a few meters from Parliament on Nov. 16, killing six people and injuring more than 30 others, have been cited as a game changer for the country's security in terms of how they raise alert levels and prepare for the next attack.

Bomb alarms abound in Kampala and other major Ugandan cities, with counter-terrorism police officials and the military swarming everywhere.

Security services have been on the offensive against ADF, which has been designated as Uganda's number one target, for some months.

As an apprehensive public watches, the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Counter Terrorism Directorate, all of which are part of the Police, have all sprang into action.

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have met several times this year to discuss the possibility of Ugandan forces being deployed in the eastern portion of the DRC to flush out the ADF, which has been hiding there for years.

President Museveni met with his DRC counterpart Felix Tshisekedi in Kasese in June to commission a 223-kilometer road project aimed at increasing trade between the two countries.

In an operation agreed upon with Congolese forces, the Ugandan military has commenced air and artillery raids on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group in eastern DRC.

"We commenced coordinated air and artillery strikes against ADF camps with our Congolese friends this morning," a Uganda People's Defence Force spokeswoman said on Twitter on Tuesday.

"Targeted and concerted action with the Ugandan army commenced today with air strikes and artillery fire from Uganda against locations of the terrorist ADF in the DRC," said Patrick Muyaya, the DRC's government spokesman and communications minister.

The ADF has been implicated by Ugandan police for a series of deadly suicide attacks in the capital, Kampala, earlier this month. Hundreds of attacks have been blamed on the armed organization in the eastern DRC.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo stated on Monday that the two forces had been exchanging information for months and that no Ugandan troops were currently in the nation.

"We haven't stated anything about cooperative activities."

We've said there will be coordinated operations," Muyaya said at a press conference, without going into detail.

"If there's a need to step it up a notch, we'll do so."