Uganda's parliament introduces bill to let military courts try civilians
The top court's January verdict forced the government to transfer the trial of opposition politician and former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye to a civilian court, where state prosecutors have charged him with several crimes including treason.
Political allies and lawyers for Besigye, who has lost to President Yoweri Museveni in four elections, say the accusations are politically motivated.
Minister of defence Jacob Marksons Oboth introduced the "Uganda People's Defence Forces Bill, 2025" on the floor of the House on Tuesday, where it was referred to a House committee for scrutiny.
Civilians may be tried under military law in exceptional circumstances, such as when they are in "unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the defence forces," according to the draft law seen by Reuters.
Besigye was forcefully removed from the Kenyan capital Nairobi in November, and presented in a military court in neighbouring Uganda a few days later, where he was charged with offences including the illegal possession of firearms.
Kenya's government denied involvement in what it called Besigye's abduction.
The new bill also includes crimes of abetting or aiding a soldier to commit crimes including treason, murder and aggravated robbery, among others.
Human rights activists and opposition politicians have long accused Museveni's government of using military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and supporters on politically motivated charges.
The new law will be used to "persecute regime opponents and deal with the growing resistance against the regime," said David Lewis Rubongoya from the National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda's largest opposition party.
Information minister Chris Baryomunsi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
NUP's leader Bobi Wine said on Friday he plans to contest the presidential ballot due in January, in which Museveni is widely expected to seek reelection.
Reuters
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IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Epstein and the collapse of the empire
A protester sits with a sign outside Manhattan Federal Court. The Donald's reign will soon disintegrate, brought down by a Schrodinger cat called Jeffrey Epstein, which is both dead and alive at the same time. Image: Mike Segar / Reuters JEFFREY Epstein is a particularly unique individual. In his rudely interrupted yet controversial life, he has been associated with so many impactful episodes of our contemporary history that have conspiratorially, if not fortuitously, led to the occupancy of the White House by the most divisive political figure, Donald J Trump. And there is no convenient starting point. In 1975, Epstein was looking furtively at His Excellency, Al Hadji, Big Dada Idi Amin Oumee, the Conqueror of all Beasts on Land and in the Seas, at a press briefing at the United Nations (UN) saying things about the illegality of Israel's creation in 1948, the wholesale murder of Palestinians and a two-state solution. It must have been Jeffrey in the shadows of the pictures or persons who subsequently gave him and his friends the instruction to promote Zionism in France, the United States and everywhere else besides. To the question of whether or not Epstein can collapse the most violent empire in the 21st century, Epstein himself has not disagreed. He is busy spending his money in the British Virgin Islands, or so it seems. A whole $800 million has been spent from his bank account by last Friday since he was declared dead. He spends a lot of dough for a dead man, or at least for a guy who is said to have committed suicide in prison, where cameras seldom work. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He and his Italian friends, at least those he gratuitously introduced to Trump, were selling atomic munitions to Libya. But Hillary Clinton, the war-mongering lady, angered by a beret-wearing intern having sex with her husband in the Oval Office, had to murder Gaddafi, no matter who was in the White House. And live on technicolour, the Lion of Sirte was violated with a sword, prompting her to declare chivalrously, that 'we came, we saw and murdered him' to her derisive laughter. Big Dada Idi Amin and Gaddafi were wondering, who was Jeffrey Epstein, and why was he doing all these things? Neither of them could rationally cohere his designs. They were already dead. But before Ronald Reagan could interject and give a full address on his knowledge of Epstein's machinations and Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine's father, in the entire Iran-Contra scandal, Trump couldn't wait to interrupt. His friend, Epstein and Flávio Briarote were busy organising Bunga Bunga parties for the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, with underaged girls who were trafficked from modelling agencies owned or facilitated by those implicated in the ring. But Epstein had no stomach for arms dealings in the former Soviet territories or Iran, nor was he competent in said respect, Mossad operatives claimed. Rather, he chose a somewhat unique intelligence facility. Sex for political blackmail. There was a lot of sex organised by this non-descript circle, so much of it resembling the 1926 Traumnouvelle translated into Stan Kubrick's last epic movie starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman titled Eyes Wide Shut. The plot was simplistic in its objective more than it was simple in its operandum. It is to organise sex orgies for the powerful and thereafter 'remind' them to do whatever it is that was required for the purpose. This was a powerful instrument at Epstein's disposal, as old as Methuselah. You know, Suzie Wong style! It is not certain that during his reign, Epstein had Afrforum and AWB in contemplation. But the method of his operation and the gruesome death of Eugene Terre Blanche, especially associated with targeting Zimbabwean male farm workers on his North West farm, are not dissimilar. As for Afriforum, which regularly jets into the US for consultations with Trump, Epstein's major associate and his allies or both, they may find that at the hands of acute historic analysts, their relationship with such characters will forever burden their conscience. And for those who need reminding, relying on the US is a terrible gamble. In 1975, Washington DC instructed the apartheid regime to attack Angola, turning them into a Ukraine-like facility against what they called Soviet expansionism into Africa. When misadventure turned deadly and became the most epic military defeat in modern African warfare, South Africa and all the young blood and treasure that was lost could not be replaced. Ask Elon Musk! Again, in 1988, in a secret meeting in Washington DC, apartheid South Africa was instructed to open a forward assault front in Cuito Cuanavale in Southern Angola. They lost at great cost to men and material. The US simply shrugged in exasperation and told them to surrender to the Cubans, in what is now known as the Washington Agreement. Namibia got its independence, and so did the South Africans a few years thereafter. Pity our home-bred neo-Nazis and other Ossewa Brandwag leaning Afrikaner far-right parties! Now they have been promised something even greater than Angola and Namibia by the same people. ANC Regime change! Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on apartheid! Is this thrice? But Epstein had a lot of secrets. Small wonder the billionaire who made him a billionaire, bothered about a girl called Virginia Giuffre. With all those peccadilloes lingering carelessly around, the free billions launched a brand called Victoria's Secret. Lord, mother of God, whatever Victoria were they hiding? Trump came into power with a secret. The empire had to go. He had powerful friends to help him out, Epstein and Netanyahu. It is possible to imagine that these two were obsessed with sex, or Monica Lewinsky for that matter. But so many things point to the contrary, however. Probably JP Morgan as a bank and Ehud Barack, former Prime Minister of Israel and former Israeli Defence Minister, or most of the billionaires who entrusted their money to Epstein, had no inclination towards the secrets of the undergarment. This may be the reason for Kash Patel, the CIA head, to declare that there is no Epstein list. Patel may be responding to a different enquiry. Sad though that hitherto, nobody had let him into the secret yet. Whitney Webb has the list. The quintessential question is which one? But in the terrifying circumlocution of the scandal and the preoccupation of the White House to arrest Barack Hussein Obama, Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, cannot find Whitney's phone numbers. Yet, Epstein, dead or cash lavishly alive, speaks with a voice of the dead. He is beyond the reach of mortals and speaks with impunity. When Jean Luc Brunel got arrested for Epstein-related crimes, he too is said to have committed suicide, much the same way the New York Post came with the scoop of Epstein pics on his deathbed. Have pity for the New York Post. If they had the scoop on Epstein's death, they are struggling to come up with the scoop on Epstein's funeral. Trump is worried, however. And President Emmanuel Macron of France knows it. For reasons which Candace Owens has shared with the world, Trump knows what Macron is worried about. Trump wants the Epstein story to go away. And Macron, for his part, wants the Candace story to go away, also. Both men are convinced that filing litigation, meritoriously or otherwise, may yield miraculous results. After meeting at the White House, Trump announced on Truth Social that he will be suing the Wall Street Journal. And Macron, in his irritation, serves legal notice against Candace Owens from the state of Delaware. But that is just the quid. The pro quo is a whole 'nother story. Both leaders may win if they were to somehow skip the pre-trial discovery obligation. Court process or not, both leaders imagine that no court will compel them to reveal facts material to the facts in issue, especially because they are world leaders. And there is a reason why. Discovery will undress both Trump and Mrs Macron. That's a lot of balls, one would imagine. Simply, it would be ugly. South Africans keep wondering, however, what Epstein told Donald Trump about them? No matter the gods, South Africans pray too, whether the real ones or the ones referring to some Palestinian fellow of immaculate conception, the sanctions are coming. Harsh. Deep. And escalatory. First, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his top six in the people's liberation movement may be targeted. So would be Julius Sello Malema. They would be barred from going anywhere, also. This would include all the places where uncle Johan Rupert would not be able to negotiate their entry without them being arrested. The only hope is that Jacob G Zuma would not be included on this targeted sanctions list, especially if Israel's proxy, Morocco, would seek his absolution from the Donald on his behalf. The Nigerian senators, for their part, are wondering in silence. They were probably right all along that there are hundreds of offshore accounts hosting laundered proceeds from MTN operations in Nigeria. Eric Holder, former US Attorney General under President Barack Obama, convinced them otherwise. So did Muhammadu Buhari. May His Soul Rest in Peace. Epstein knows about all that laundered money in all those offshore accounts, but so does the CIA. The sooner such money moves and the accounts are closed, the better! The South African story keeps unfolding. The Donald's reign will soon disintegrate, brought down by a Schrodinger cat called Jeffrey Epstein, which is both dead and alive at the same time. The South African neo nazis and their leaders in the GNU will meet their ultimate US betrayal. The only victors who will savour the taste of triumph will be the South African people. * Ambassador Bheki Gila is a Barrister-at-Law. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Western media finally confronts Israel's actions in Gaza
An F-35 fighter jet flies during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel. In a relentless wave of reprisals, the Israeli Defence Force has killed, maimed and arbitrarily detained largely powerless Palestinians, many without charge. Image: Amir Cohen / Reuters THE silence, nay, collaboration of the Western mainstream media with Israel's genocidal military onslaught against Gaza and the Palestinian people in general has been mind-boggling. Since October 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise violent attack in Southern Israel that resulted in some 1 200 people killed, life for Palestinian men, women and children has been akin to hell on earth. Israel's fury, vengeance and retribution against the people of Gaza have been brutal, ferocious and limitless. In a relentless wave of reprisals, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has killed, maimed and arbitrarily detained largely powerless Palestinians, many without charge. The IDF's reign of terror in every corner of Palestine has known no bounds. Since October 2023, Israelis have killed no less than 60 000 Palestinians amid a systematic annihilation of the Gaza population, and displaced nearly 2 million, according to the UN. Thousands remain trapped under the ruins of what was once a normal Gaza Strip, despite occupation by apartheid Israel. What triggered me to pen this piece this week has been the rare public criticism of Israel by four leading Western media outlets that echoed the views of the UN and more than 100 aid organisations that have accused Israel of starving Palestinians. Although this deliberate mass starvation and killing of dozens queueing for food is ubiquitous, Israel has thus far enjoyed biased support by the West. The British public broadcaster BBC, Associated Press (AP), Reuters and Agence-France Presse (AFP) this week issued a statement they wrote collectively in which they decry Israel's deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war. The media outlets above revealed that their own employees inside Gaza were starving and unable to fend for their families. 'We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families,' the rare joint statement read, before continuing: 'It is essential that adequate food supplies reach the people there.' This departure from the norm is significant for many reasons. Finally, it removes the veil of Israel's protection from critical public scrutiny that has unwittingly aided the extinction of the people of Gaza. Together with CNN, among other impactful Western media outlets, the West has remained largely blind and speechless to Israeli excesses in its merciless military operation against the Palestinians. It is in this context, therefore, that the public denouncement of Israel by Western media carries massive weight. Inevitably, breaking the silence by the Western media and abandoning their apparently collective complicity in what South Africa and others have described before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as sheer unadulterated genocide changes the game altogether. Not only does it cause Israel to adjust its dubious public relations drive, but it also punches holes for the Western publics and their governments to reconsider the free pass that Israel has thus far enjoyed. In the last 21 months, some 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli fire, without any iota of consequences. Of greater concern, in my book, has been the glaring absence of international outcry by the self-righteous Western media outlets in particular. The silence of Western governments has been utterly deafening, too. The Qatari news network, Al Jazeera, has lost some of its journalists to Israel's deliberate targeting of their staff due to their tough reporting approach that exposes the truth, as seen on social media worldwide. In fact, Al Jazeera is banned in Israel and the West Bank. Israel accuses their journalists as well as foreign correspondents as 'terror operatives' without evidence. Disturbingly, the Western media has turned a blind eye to the suppression of media freedom by Israel. Actually, the four media outlets that jointly issued a statement critical of Israel have themselves been previously criticised for their sheepish approach to news reporting. They have been accused of accepting the narrative of Israel about the war without any question — apparently too content to publicise the statements of the Israeli military officers as gospel truth. Last November, some 100 journalists from the BBC accused the corporation of Israeli bias and of lacking 'consistently fair and accurate evidence-based journalism'. The BBC denied the claims, just as AFP, Reuters, CNN, AP and others contemptuously reject any criticism levelled at them. Israel's genocide in Gaza has triggered the reconfiguration of global relations beyond measure. It has exposed the weakness and bias of Western-led global governance systems such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the shortcomings of the ICJ's lack of enforceable rulings and the ugly spectre of unilateralism in international relations. Additionally, the persistent failure of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to obligate the cessation of hostilities in Gaza has further exposed the hidden rot that plagues global bodies. The veto power possessed by the five permanent members of the UNSC has also proved to be archaic and susceptible to abuse, particularly by the US in defence of attempts to rein in Israel. The US is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC. Others are the UK, France, China and Russia. The Majority World has been campaigning for urgent reforms of the UNSC, so that all nations can exercise equal authority reflective of the 21st-century architecture of the international world order. At the UN General Assembly, any condemnation of Israel remains largely muted and unenforceable anyway. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is all but a talk shop that is past its sell-by date. The UN Charter, which is supposed to be based on the principle of 'dialogue among equals', has become a doormat where heads of state wipe their feet on entrance. The plain disability to stop Israel's genocide against Gazans and the blatant fear by the large majority of the nations of the world to emulate South Africa and call it for what it is — genocide — is an indictment of our global governance system. Israel's impunity reminds the international community that Western hegemony still reigns supreme. Its various poles of power can be seen through the activities of the EU, Nato and the G7, among others. The concerns and voices of the Global South seldom make any impact. By and large, the persistent legacy of colonialism that thrives on the notion of divide and rule still keeps like-minded weaker economies apart and unable to cooperate. It is a separate development. In its defence, its architects describe it as 'separate but equal'. The role of the media in society is to hold authorities accountable. Anarchy thrives when the media shirks its fundamental responsibilities. Additionally, appropriate media is the one that consciously stands with the weak against the powerful. Pardon the cliché, but the media that is morally upright is the one that plays the role of being the 'voice of the voiceless'. Amid the ongoing Israeli genocide, it is refreshing to note the adoption of a more responsible posture by the leading Western media networks. This is highly commendable. As they say, better late than never. Their public rebuke of Israel will certainly not go unnoticed. It would most probably be safe, whatever is left of those that are still lucky to be alive in Gaza. A media that is embedded is a media that has outsourced its responsibility and function to its handlers, be they the IDF, politicians or big business interests. Journalism that fails to question authority is a dismal failure. It is nothing short of sunshine journalism whose modus operandi is to sing for its supper to the detriment of the public they are supposed to serve. It is tempting to lambaste the Western media outlets as a collective, but that would be tantamount to throwing the baby out with the bath water. The four media houses outlined above will go down in history as having broken ranks by speaking out against Israel's monumental war crimes, albeit belatedly. * Abbey Makoe is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Global South Media Network ( The views expressed are personal. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Community leaders call for action against illegal cannabis stores in Chatsworth
Residents said outlets were "freely selling" cannabis products close to schools and religious organisations. Image: Reuters COMMUNITY leaders in Chatsworth are urging authorities to take action against the proliferation of illegal cannabis stores, highlighting concerns about public safety and the impact on local youth. They said outlets were "freely selling" cannabis products close to schools and religious organisations. This comes soon after Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, confirmed that regulations required for the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act to be implemented would be finalised by March 2026. In a parliamentary response to DA MP Tobias Chance, Kubayi said the Act could only be implemented once her department had received feedback from all concerned departments. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ These include the departments of health; agriculture; trade, industry and competition; social development; small business and development, the Presidency, and the SAPS. Yugen Pillay, chairperson of the Chatsworth Community Policing Forum (CPF), said despite the use of cannabis being decriminalised for private use, the public needed to remember that the sale of cannabis was still illegal. 'People are openly selling cannabis. The law regarding the sale of cannabis is quite clear. I have tried many times to get law enforcement to act on this, but they are still awaiting direction from their legal department. A directive that was unfortunately not forthcoming. 'It seems that the legal departments cannot decipher the legislation, and in the meantime, these stores are mushrooming all over. 'The use of cannabis can act as a gateway drug, and because it is so easily available, more and more people are using it. We are calling on the police to clamp down on these stores and start shutting them down," said Pillay. He said SAPS had issued a stern warning that the establishment of illegal dispensaries or outlets, online sites and social media platforms, which are marketing and selling cannabis and cannabis-related products to the public, remained illegal, except where specifically allowed in terms of the Medicines and Related Substances Act. 'Despite warnings, cannabis stores continue to open everywhere. Some of these illegal businesses, purporting to operate legally, are also being sold to members of the public as franchises authorised to deal in cannabis and cannabis-related products. 'Dealing in cannabis remains a serious criminal offence. Police are mandated to and will act, not only against businesses that sell cannabis illegally, but also against the customers who buy these products." Cyril Pillay, the chairperson of the Chatsworth Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum, said: "The increase in cannabis stores in our community is adding to all the social ills we are facing. It is compounding our problems and leading to the degradation of our society. This is also adding to the social economic challenges that already exist. 'People are complacent and due to poor monitoring, we have more than one cannabis store per area. We need proper monitoring and more police operations to curb this." Denzil Devan, a community leader in Mobeni Heights, said the sharp increase in cannabis stores across communities highlighted a significant gap in legislation. 'While liquor outlets are bound by strict zoning laws, such as maintaining a set distance from schools, cannabis stores are exploiting the absence of similar regulations, allowing them to operate virtually anywhere. This loophole poses serious concerns for public safety and urban planning,' he added. Devan said it was more concerning that outlets have included smoking lounges and cannabis bars. 'Many of these outlets have evolved into cannabis smoking lounges or cannabis bars, which likely goes far beyond what Parliament intended when it moved to decriminalise cannabis for personal use and regulate products like cannabis oil and hemp. Without clear policy direction and enforcement, we risk creating unregulated environments that normalise public consumption and weaken community standards." Jakes Singh, the former chairperson of the Chatsworth CPF, said various cannabis stores have opened near schools and religions institutions over the last two years. 'Not enough checks are done. While a few of the stores are operating legally, most are illegal. Tuck-shops are even selling cannabis. Stores are mushrooming everywhere. Raids are done, and regulators are visiting to check, but it is not done all the time. Too many loopholes are leading to the increase of cannabis stores,' said Singh. Colonel Booysie Zungu, the spokesperson for metro police, said the rapid increase of unlicenced cannabis stores and dispensaries within the municipal area was a serious concern. 'We are working together to identify and dismantle illegal cannabis operations, including unregistered dispensaries, storage facilities, and unlicenced retail stores. These establishments often operate outside the boundaries of national legislation, posing a threat to public health and safety. 'This is in line with our crime prevention mandate and the provisions of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act and Medicines and Related Substances Act. 'We are committed to enforcing municipal bylaws, disrupting illegal trade, and working to ensure that all cannabis-related businesses comply with applicable laws. We encourage the public to report suspicious activity through official channels." Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, the chief executive officer of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), said cannabis dispensaries were mushrooming and blatantly displaying copies of Sahpra licences, which were issued authorising cannabis cultivation and exporting of the cannabis flower. "Such licences do not authorise these so-called cannabis dispensaries. This is a matter of concern," said Semete-Makokotlela in a statement. 'It is highly unethical and illegal for any individual or company to claim Sahpra authorisation through forged documentation. We take this matter seriously, and we will work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders are dealt with swiftly and decisively. The public must be protected from such deceptive behaviour." Sahpra warned the public to be vigilant and cautious when engaging with service providers that claimed to be licenced by the authority. Semete-Makokotlela said Sahpra wasin the process of sourcing a system that used barcoding as a means of authenticating these certificates. If you suspect that a provider is using a fraudulent Sahpra licence, you can call the authority on 0800 204 307. THE POST
