UGANDA JOINT CHRISTIAN COUNCIL

UGANDA CONFLICT TRENDS REPORT FOR THE MONTHS OF (APRIL AND MAY 2016)

Conflict Trends in Uganda

Introduction:

Uganda Joint Christian Council through the Department of Justice Peace and Reconciliation is mandated to inform the partners and other stakeholders about the existing trends of conflicts as they develop through the country. The exercise is primarily generatedthrough the media (Newspapers), online tracking on incidents that occur in communities. There are various categories of conflicts monitored and tracked and this include Land Conflicts, Sexual Gender Based Violence, Resource based conflicts, Illegal possession of fire arms,Electoral Violence, Human Trafficking, Murder cases, Political related conflicts and Mob justices.

This report analyzes data for the four traditional Regions of Uganda namely: Central (Buganda), Northern (Acholi, Lango, Karamoja and West Nile)Western (Ankole, Kigezi, Bunyoro, Toro) and Eastern (Busoga, Teso, BugisuBukedi and Sebei).

The main objective of tracking conflicts in Uganda was:

  • To inform the partners and other stakeholders of the existing conflicts in Uganda

National Situation:

Political tensions in Uganda are still emanating from the just concluded February 18th Presidential and Parliamentary elections despite fact that there were less incidences of violence in Country security was deployed around most parts of the country including Kampala and Rwenzori region that was merged with tribal clashes of the Bakonzo and Bamba due to social cultural and political unrests.

The continued arrest of the Opposition leader of the Forum for Democratic Change Dr. Col KizzaBesigye and other opposition members still cause tensions in the Country. It is reported that his accused of treason cases with other counterparts by the Government of Uganda and this has left groups of people including the clergy, CSO’s, Human rights groups all unsatisfied with the situations.

Despite relative peace prevailing in the Country at the moment, there are still tensions within and among the people both in rural and urban areas of the country as prices for goods and services are increasing and yet majority of the people in Uganda are living in abject poverty and depending on subsistence Agriculture. Unemployment among the people especially the youth has also contributed criminal acts like human trafficking for employment in other countries fir survival, human sacrifice for quick gains, acquire resources (property) forcefully from their parents and involving in early marriages.

Number of conflicts ranked out of 5

Central

Number of conflict trends recorded in the months of April and May 2016

Land Conflicts / SGBV / Illegal Firearms / Human Trafficking / Resource Based Conflicts / Murder / Political Related Conflicts / Torture / Witchcraft
2 / 3.7 / 1.8 / 0.9 / 1.4 / 1.8 / 1.2 / 2.1 / 2.3

Number of reported Conflicts in the Central Region:

Sexual Gender based violence was more rampant mainly in the areas of Mukono, Kampala and Wakiso and was due to the increasing number of people leading to poverty. This greatly contributed early child marriages and early child pregnancies, HIV/AIDS through rape, fights in homes by parents, torture of children by either their stepmothers or stepfathers. The efforts of the law enforcers to curb down the criminal and evil acts is still lacking as criminals have bribed the law enforcers with money and other materials things.

Political related conflicts, Government shut down all social media services that included Face book, Twitter, Whatsapp and Mobile money transfer that left many people stranded. The response from Government was for the security wellbeing of the country

Among the above, a number of people including the Clergy, CSO’s and others have reached out to the authorities concerned but the response is still negative.

Northern Region

Table of conflicts recorded in the months of April and May 2016

Illegal Firearms / Human Trafficking / Land Conflicts
3.8 / 2.4 / 2

Graph

Having concluded the general elections, tensions have still remained high in Northern Uganda where it was reported that there was a lot of misuse of firearms (guns) in Amuru, Arua and Moroto.Human Trafficking of people to South Sudan by unknown kidnappers wearing military uniforms and armed with guns was another worry imposed on the people in West Nile especially Yumbe

Tensions were still rising on Land Conflict as clans in Yumbedistrict attacked each other with bows and arrows shown in the graph above. In Lira district vendors clashed with police after they were evicted from the street land and many were injured in the incident.

Western Regions

Table of conflicts recorded in the months of April and May 2016

SGBV / Torture / Land Conflicts / Witch Craft / Mob Justice / Illegal Firearms
4.3 / 1.2 / 1.3 / 1 / 0.8 / 2.9

Graph

Over the past months tensions were so high in the West particularly Rwenzori region following the tribal clashes and attacks on security institution. The region had been prone to violence in the last couple of years until when people attempted to disarm the police officers who brutally killed many of them who were trying to attack them.

Still in the region Sexual Gender Based Violence was highly reported mainly in Kasese district were a group of men gang raped women and also vandalized property worth millions of shillings. It is was also reported that land had become come another source of conflict as the human population had expanded and natural habitats had shrank as people and animals were increasingly coming into conflict over space and food.

Easter Region

Table of conflicts recorded in the months of April and May 2016

SGBV / Illegal Firearms / Resource based conflicts
2.8 / 3.2 / 1.9

Graph

Following the recent attacks on the police stations in Kapchorwa and Bukwo districts by armed men led to the death of a policeman and one man armed others in hospital. It was reported a group of armed men wanted to steal guns from the police and this incident on the other side left tensions in the region.

Summary of Conflict Trends in Uganda between April and May 2016

Types of Conflicts

Conflict Category / Examples and incidents
Sexual Gender Based Violence
Land Conflicts /
  • Land Inheritance
  • Forced Eviction
  • Illegal Encroachment
  • Property destruction
  • Boundary disputes
  • Land access and use

Illegal Firearms /
  • Misuse of guns
  • Threatening and intimidating

Human Trafficking /
  • Export cheap Labor abroad
  • Human sacrifice

Resource Based Conflicts /
  • Forceful and illegal possession of property

Political related Conflicts /
  • Intimidation
  • Denial of equal space
  • Closer of social media services

Witch Craft /
  • Human sacrifice
  • Murder

References/Sources

  • Media (New vision and Daily Monitor)
  • Online Uganda Radio network
  • Online media (Face book BukeddeOlupapula and Newvision)

Mob justice as a man is being burnt Suspected thief being beaten by crowd of people
Man with stolen goat in Mpererwe Viticim of illegal use of firearm with soldiers
Men engage a serious fight over awoman Man murdered over material gains
Women strip fellow woman over money