Stakeholder Engagement meeting in Moyo

CEFORD organized the second Stakeholder Engagement meeting for participants from Moyo and Adjumani districts on 16th December 2011 at Moyo Multipurpose Hall. Participants included representatives from CAO's Office, LC V, LC III, Police and CBOs. In total 26 participants attended the meeting.

The District Council Speaker Moyo (Hon. Chaiga Martin) in his opening remark said " When you stand as a leader, you have signed a social contract with the people. When you do not live to the terms of the contract, you will be thrown out". To him the Citizens Manifesto in Action is a good project and would want us to evaluate the Citizen's Manifesto at the end of the contract.





The National Coordinator CEW-IT (James Mwirima) and Executive Director CEFORD (Asipkwe Jean Christabel) presented an overview about the project, the Citizens Manifesto and the West Nile regional issues as spelt out in the Citizens Manifesto. The regional issues generated a lot of discussions and action points for follow up on the issues at District and Regional level. Some of the key issues included: demand for clear road map for electricity for Adjumani and Moyo, resolving the border conflicts with Sudan and Amuru district, addressing health staff exit for greener pastures in Sudan among others.

Participants also unanimously agreed that there is a need to have a strong forum of Members of Parliament from West Nile to jointly advocate for West Nile issues and a strong forum for Elders and Opinion leaders in the region be formed to engage in inter border conflicts.

Stake Holders Engagement meeting organised by CEFORD in Arua

CEFORD organized the first engagement meeting for West Nile in Arua at CEFORD Head Quarters on 15th Dec 2011. The meeting drew participants from 3 Districts of Arua, Nebbi and Koboko. The 38 participants included CAO, RDC, LC V, Police, CSOs and CBOs. and RDCs.

During the meeting, CEW-IT National Coordinator (James Mwirima) presented an overview on the Project: Citizens Manifesto in Action: Building a Social Contract between Citizens and their Leaders. He also presented the National development concerns in the Citizens Manifesto. The Executive Director CEFORD (Asipkwe Jean Christabel) presented the West Nile issues in the Citizens Manifesto.


Deputy Speaker Arua District Hon. Christine Debo in her opening remarks said "Leaders and citizens are in contract for 5 years. Many pledges were made and citizens need to check with their leaders on fulfillment of the pledges"








From the discussions, the issues of power in West Nile and slow pace of completion of Nyagak power project, the need to be connected to the National electric grid, environmental degradation among others topped the discussion. A number of action points were generated for each of the issues under Electricity, Health, Education, Security, Roads, Poverty, Leadership and Natural resource management.



The RDC Arua Col. Abiriga Ibrahim (pictured below) in his closing remarks urged CSOs to keep his office informed on their activities and involve him where necessary.

PAC-Uganda in conjuction with Uganda National NGO Forum held Teso anti corruption CONvention in Soroti town.

Public Affairs center of Uganda (PAC-Uganda) a national civil society organisation based in Teso region in conjunction with Uganda National NGO Forum organized a half day public dialogue code-named Teso anti corruption convention that took place on sat day 3-Dec-2011 at land mark hotel. the dialogue began at 12:00 noon upto 7:00pm. the theme of the convention was 'tackling corruption in natural resources governance and mitigating its impact on livelihood of the ordinary citizen, a responsibility for all. This convention was a build up to the planned national anti corruption convention (NACC) slated for the 8-Dec-2011 in
Kampala. The overall objective of the public dialogue was to derive the Teso region in put to the NACC. The chief guest was Hon Gerald Karuhanga the youth mp western Uganda. The public dialogue attracted the general public and this made the participation very vibrant as issues were being raised by different groups of people. PAC-Uganda also invited a panel of lawyers from different law firms namely, Katuntu and company advocates from Kampala, M/S Isodo and company advocates, Munghao and company advocates among others. Other invited participants present were, woman MP Soroti district, Chairperson local v Ngora district, division and sub county chairpersons. political party representatives, election monitors, CSOs, CBOs, church leaders, institutions, cultural leaders and widows who had come to testify how their land had been grabbed by some rich and powerful individuals and local government among others. The vivid example was mzee Ochaloi whose land has been taken by Soroti sub county authority without compensating him. During the dialogue, a number of issues emerged and they included the following. Land grabbing, high costs of paying lawyers, in adequate participation of women on land policies, constitutionality of local council courts, continuous adjournments of cases by courts intensifying wrangles among conflicting parties, distortion of witness statements by some police officers,sexual harassment by some of the local council courts when women go to report cases to their offices

Following a heated debate,the following were resolved and adopted by the house.

To wholly support the constitution petition filed by PAC to compel government to disband local council I and II courts and to hold fresh elections for this important grass root democracy and government structure.

We should support and decorate leaders who fight corruption and denounce those who are corrupt. We should not vote leaders who are corrupt to political positions. PAC and other NGOs should put pressure to political leaders for accountability. PAC should go out to immediate land cases in the villages.
Launch a house to house fight against corruption. Lawyers should select five widows they can support every year freely so as to protect the properties and and livelihood assets of the poor victims. Leaders found corrupt MUST be punished and made to pay all that was lost. Courts should handle cases expeditiously. Vulnerable people should be given access to public offices. In summary, the dialogue went well without any interruptions.

Spearker Soroti giving the youth MP honorary flower for fighting corruption

ARUA TOWN,A PLACE TO BE

It was a bright sunday morning that the RIC-NET team led by the Executive Director, set off for a journey to Northern Uganda to conduct a training in e-platforms and maintenance at CEFORD offices in Arua. A night in Arua was so enjoyable at Heritage Courts where there was a Karaoke night and on top of that it was also a comedy night, despite language barrier we managed to pick few words through the help of an interpreter.


Having had a tremendous night at heritage hotel, early Monday, the team headed to CEFORD office where the training was to take place. The training kicked off at 9:30am with ICT Emma taking members through Uchaguzi ,citizen voice and RIC-NET ED,John silco took members in skype,blogs,how to operate a projector where as Betty took them through computer maintenance tips . CEFORD team was one of the active one as everyone was mesmerized in gaining ICT skills.The training ended late in the evening with Ricnet ED handing over a projector to Ceford Executive Director madam Jean.

Chairman lc III Kapir meets Kapir peoples grassroot parliament on sunday

The chairman local council III Kapir sub county (Ochen Bony) and the speaker (Adilu Julius) on Sunday met with the leadership of Kapir peoples grass root parliament and the staff of PAC-Uganda to discuss on the monitoring and implementation of the 25%and 5% that the local council authorities had given out. The chairman on his speech told the team that the sub county council sat and resolved that grass root parliament be given power to monitor the implementation of the village action plan that was drafted by the local council ones and submitted to the sub county for funding. The 25% was meant for local council one and 5% was meant for local council II. Kapir has a total of 32 villages and of which each one has received (600,000) for implementing the village action plan .Kapir peoples grass root parliament is one of CBOs that is support by PAC-Uganda and its also one of the CBOs that has been preaching the gospel of Citizens Manifesto in Ngora district. Kapir is one of the sub counties in Teso region that has moved a step a head in terms of good governance.

RIC-NET trains PAC staff on ICT

The staff of PAC-Uganda and TAC uderwent serous trainning on the management of the data centre on 21-Nov-2011 in Soroti. The training was facilitated by RIC-NET under the new project called citizens manifesto in action. The team that came to facilitate was led by John Silco the ED of RWECO. The training was basicaally on how to send messages to the blog and how to communicate using ICT (skype). In addition to the training, PAC-Uganda also recieved one new projector from the same team.

TRAINING OF DATA CENTRES KICKS OFF

In line with the new CEW-IT Project under EU and OxfamNovib aimed at ‘citizen’s manifesto in action: building a social contract between citizens and their leaders , there is need for deployment of modern information Technologies to facilitate information knowledge sharing between citizens and their leaders.
In light of the above, RIC-NET kicked off her role of setting up data centres and conducting trainings in ICT to enable effective use of the technology in reporting governance issues concerning citizens and welfare.
The trainings were conducted on 21st and 22nd November 2011 in Eastern Uganda -Soroti at PAC (Public affairs centre) offices, and in northern Uganda –Gulu at ACORD (Agency for Coorperation and Research in Development.
The trainings started with a brief over view of Uchaguzi- Uganda (ww.uchaguzi.co.ug). UCHAGUZI is a collaborative initiative of CEW-IT (Citizen’s Election Watch – IT) HIVOS, and OxfamNOVIB.

UCHAGUZI is a platform that is built on simple technology USHAHIDI’s web and mobile-based software, enabling citizens to extend their role and responsibility to actively engage in the protection of democracy while ensuring that government as the provider of electoral services actively responds to their demands in near time.
RIC-NET ED took members in training of E-platforms that is blogs, skype, twitter as well as citizen voice. The participants were impressed by the skills they gained and many of them were able to upload information on the blog and creating personal blogs, the most interesting part was Skype as everyone took the chance to chat and make free calls to their colleagues.
The ICTO took members thru maintenance tips, he highlighted on the importance of Repair and maintenance. He highlighted common computer problems such as viruses, Dust, Power surges, Water/ food stuffs, the participants were also given tips on how to keep their computers safe one of which was to make sure that the computers are scanned regularly, and back up the data on external drives.

acholi-to-be-sensitized-on-the-national-citizens-manifesto in Action

Acholi to be sensitized on the National Citizens Manifesto.
Publish Date: Nov 12, 2011

By Lilian Namataka
Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development, ACORD, is to sensitize the people of Acholi Sub region on the Citizens National Manifesto.

The drive is aimed at arming the people with information that will enable them hold their leaders accountable to the people they represent at the various leadership levels.
The EU funded sensitization project under Oxfam Novib is to last a year, and it is kicking off officially next week.
This follows research that shows that majority of the people have no idea what the Citizens National manifesto is or its contents, and what it means to them as Ugandans.
It has also emerged that majority of Ugandans have no idea that it is their right to hold their leaders accountable by making a follow-up on promises made during campaigns, to see that they are fulfilled.
Bernard Loum, the focal person for Citizens Elections Watch for northern Uganda that is implementing the project says:
"Majority of the people think and believe that once a leader is elected and assumes office, for instance as an LC5 chairperson, he is now untouchable and only refer to him as Chairman, or Honorable in case of an MP. So, they think it is a sign of disrespect for the people to demand that the leaders work on the pledges they made during campaigns."
The National Citizens’ manifesto is a document that was drafted by the citizens of Uganda IN 2010 representing the voices of over 60,000 Ugandans, from selected sub-counties and parishes.
The document, which is endorsed by all politicians, also highlights development concerns the average Ugandan faces day-by-day, a citizen vision of the Uganda they desire, key national values and interests and demands in the economy, society, politics and policy.
Some of the things that the citizens highlighted in the Citizens’ manifesto are: demand for free and quality services for all Ugandans, a corruption-free, peaceful and secure Uganda, demand for justice in northern Uganda, preservation of the dignity of every Ugandan.
"Once the people are sensitized on this document, and on their rights, they will be able to fully demand that their leaders provide the necessary services, as an obligation and not as a favour," Loum explains.
To carry out this project, ACORD is to work with 30 community-based organisations (CBOs) selected from all the districts in Acholi sub-region.
Among the CBOs selected include Youth Strengthening Strategy /youth movers, Community Advocacy for Rural Development, Amuru youth group, Children of the World Foundation, Loyoro Otim Kikomi, FORDE Uganda, and Dwoka Paco Women’s Group.
The CBOs are to use communication platforms like community dialogues, dramas, printing T-shirts with desired messages, holding radio talk shows, among others.
The Gulu district language board is also to translate the National Citizens Manifesto into the local Luo language to enable the local communities better understand its contents.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/29967-acholi-to-be-sensitized-on-the-national-citizens-manifesto.html

An Activist Murdered in Bukedea District

The late Mr. Emusut

An activist who was very instrumental in the monitoring of 2011 general elections Mr. Emusut was on Thursday 28th July shot dead. Unknown armed men appeared in his home at 5pm in Bukedea district where they found him slashing his compound and straight a way showered him with bullets. His sister who was also shot survived after she pretended dead. During elections, this man had reported a malpractice that happened at the polling station he was observing in Bukedea. But it was so shocking that the top officials of Bukedea district ordered for his arrest, he was thrown into a police cell and beaten, later some civil society and human rights activists visited him in his police cell and interviewed him. And now, he lies dead; no one can fathom the reason and who is behind this cold murder. However, the police have taken up the matter and have launched an investigation.

Mr Emusut, a human rights activist gunned down in Bukedea at 5.00 PM

Mr Emusut the human rights activist and an election observer in the general election 2011 who was short dead ( pumped with over 15 rounds of ammunition) in Bukedea last week. That activist life was prematurely and horrendously terminated in broad day light- at 5.00pm as he was cleaning his compound and known killers who are still at large.
According to police preliminary investigations the finger is being pointed at some senior politicians and district leaders. He was killed as a cover-up of gross human rights abuses and abuse of power for which some issues are in courts of law. This was the second attempt on his life. The broad daylight killing has paralyzed the district that now looks deserted and investigations intensify.

In the past two months, at the post election dialogue in Soroti Mr Emusut gave a graphic details of his harassment by security operatives as he observed the presidential elections. He stated that while observing the presidential and parliamentary elections as an agent at a polling station in Bukedea District,he noticed multiple voting by certain individuals, a practice referred to as circular voting. When he brought the issue to the attention of the Presiding Officer and the Police Constable they promised to contact the District Police Commander and RDC.

When the DPC eventually showed up he swiftly arrested the activist and whisked him onto a waiting police van. He was to remain on the police van the whole day and was later locked up in the police cell for 2 days allegedly for disturbing the peace at the polling station.
At about mid night of the second day the activist reportedly was ordered out of the cell allegedly to meet the RDC and DPC. Him and other inmates resisted this until a scuffle ensued during which the inmates overpowered the police officer who then left them alone. On the third day the activist reported that his home was to be searched allegedly that he was in possession of firearms. The search was done but no fire arms were found. He was released unconditionally without any trial.

PAC Uganda and other human rights activists helped the deceased to file complaints with the Uganda Human Rights Commission while his ordeal became an example of the electoral violence that was meted out on the people of the Teso sub region. PAC used this and other examples to highlight the inadequacies in the conduct of the 2011 general elections. The story was embarrassing. It is reported that the RDC was suspended thereafter. Therefore, the murder of this activist comes at the heels of the unfolding of this unfortunate situation. That is the price of exposing the rot in the conduct of public affairs in Uganda.

All activists we need to take up this story and use all available means and forums to condemn this horrendous act with all the contempt it deserves. Secondly we need to exert pressure on the authorities to investigate and bring the perpetrators of this satanic act to book.

On Tuesday the 28th of June 29, 2011 was a meeting of the HIVOS partners in Uganda at the CEW-IT national office on spear house in Kampala. This meeting attracted several members from the different partner groups all over. We were also blessed to have
representatives from Kenya who officiated the meeting.

Matters concerning HIVOS donation to the CSOs in developing countries like Uganda were discussed as members were given the chance to ask as many questions as they felt were bringing clarity to then pertaining HIVOS.

The meeting was a successful one as most of the members present appreciated all the efforts that HIVOS is putting in trying to support the civil societies in Africa.
The meeting ended at 5.00pm with members taking a cup of tea and social hour.

HIVOS PARTNERS IN UGANDA MEET

On Tuesday the 28th of June 29, 2011 was a meeting of the HIVOS partners in Uganda at the CEW-IT national office on spear house in Kampala. This meeting attracted several members from the different partner groups all over. We were also blessed to have
representatives from Kenya who officiated the meeting.

Matters concerning HIVOS donation to the CSOs in developing countries like Uganda were discussed as members were given the chance to ask as many questions as they felt, bringing clarity to then pertaining HIVOS.

The meeting was a successful one as most of the members present appreciated the efforts of HIVOS in supporting the work of CSOs.
The meeting ended at 5.00pm with members taking a cup of tea and social hour.

PAC / CEW-IT shines at CSO Fair at Hotel African Kampala

“NGOs and Uganda’s quest for socioeconomic transformation”.
THE NATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY FAIR which was Showcasing the value and contribution of Civil Society to Uganda’s Development was held on June 6th-7th 2011, Kampala.

This year’s CSO Fair was organized under the theme, “NGOs and Uganda’s quest for socioeconomic transformation”.

Among other objectives, the fair provided an opportunity for NGOs across the country to showcase their work and contribution to Uganda’s social and economic well being.

The fair was therefore an open space for the public and other development actors such as government, the media, private sector and donors to engage with the NGO sector and hold the latter accountable for their work.

so, the challenges and opportunities within the NGO sector through the different consultative forums and sessions as it strengthens the relationship between the Civil Society, Government, private sector and the Ugandan public were discussed in the different seminar one of which was organized by DENIVA.

The Civil Society fair featured exhibitions of cutting age work for civil society in Research, Livelihoods, Governance, Human Rights, Elections Monitoring, to mention a few. The medium will be stalls in which different works and products can be displayed including publications, agricultural outputs, artifacts.

And it this stage PAC Uganda a member of CEW-IT show cased video Documentaries and publication on governance issues that later became the talk at the fair on issues the documentaries raised on governance, accountability and human rights.

CEFORD POST ELECTION DIALOGUE

CEFORD organized a post election dialogue meetings in Arua (for the districts of Arua, Nebbi, Zombo, Maracha and Koboko) on 8^th June 2011. Participants in the meeting included the RDC, District Chairpersons, MPs represented by their political assistants, District Registrars of the Electoral Commission, Political Party representatives, elected leaders, religious leaders, traditional and cultural institutions, the media and CSOs. The meeting was attended by 79 (67m & 12f) participants.

The dialogue meeting was called to reflect on the 2011 general elections, identify lessons learnt, challenges and recommendations for the future.

The Ag: Executive Director CEFORD Ms, Asikpwe Jean informed stake holders that, CEFORD observed the 2011 general election in all the 8 districts of West Nile and the preliminary report was disseminated to the stake holders in April 2011. The dialogue meeting was called to reflect on the issues that transpired during the election process and suggest solutions that the elected leaders can take on to develop the region.

The meeting held at the CEFORD Auditorium, was officially opened by the District Chairman Arua Hon Wadri Sam Nyakua. In his address he noted that the electoral exercise although tedious was peaceful and bloodless a tribute he gave to all stakeholders.

The dialogue was kick started with an overview of the CEWIT observation report on 2011 General Elections which was presented by the National Coordinator – Mr. James Mwirima.

The issues he pointed out were:

· Peaceful nature of the election

· Falling short of international standards

· Poor training and remuneration of electoral officials

· Poor management of voters registrar

· Lack of vigilance among the political parties as they had few agents who were poorly facilitated and failed to provide evidence on the alleged bribery.

· Poor handling of polling materials and facilitation of polling officials

Various challenges were presented by the stake holders and some recommendations were suggested to overcome the challenges to ensure 2016 general elections are better than 2011.

Some of the recommendations proposed were:

Electoral commission

- Increased and timely funding for Electoral processes.

- Facilitating polling officials prior to the election day

- Review of the electoral laws

- Have in place an independent electoral commission

- Voter education to be provided by CSOs and FBOs

- Increase accountability to the electorate.

Government functionaries: police, RDC, security agencies

- No army but only police be involved in the elections

- Appreciate the role of police instead of abusing them

- Police to improve its vigilance and investigation of bribery cases.

- Police should not insult people

- Effective and timely deployment and equipping with new ICT gadgets for the police

Political parties/candidates/agents

- Clarify between facilitation and bribery

- All candidates should resign their political posts to avoid abuse of incumbency

- Parties should prepare and conduct transparent primary elections

- Parties should put in place and enforce a code of conduct in conjunction with the EC

- Parties should declare funding and account to the electorate

- Politicians should tolerate each other’s views

- Parties instead of individuals should be strengthened with structures up to the grassroots.

Electorate

- Strengthen party membership

- Early voter education – at least 8 months before the elections

- Strengthen civic education

- Make voting mandatory

- Create more polling stations

- Display NVR at polling stations at least 8 days before election day

CSOs

- Should monitor post election events e.g. vote recount and election petitions

- FBOs should take on civic and voter education

- Cooperate with the police

- Involve the media in their activities

Media

- Equal access to national media houses

- Media houses should come up with messages that appeal to the moral consciousness of both the voters and the candidates

- Media should work in accordance with an established code of conduct

The meeting was closed by the Deputy RDC Nebbi Mr. Kajil Allan. In his closing remarks he noted that it is nice to have different political ideologues to air out their views in a free and fair atmosphere provided by CEFORD. He added that destiny is by choice not chance and that the interests of Uganda are much bigger than of any individual Ugandan. He called upon the participants to work for development now that the elections are over so that in future the prosperous electorate will not demand for bribes before voting. He cautioned those who had been elected to avoid being discriminatory but to involve everyone including their opponents in the development process. He thanked all stakeholders for their openness and then declared the meeting closed. Above LC V Chair person Maracha sharing his experience

Above religious leader contributing to the discussion