
Justice Mugenyi Affirms Military Trials for Civilians as Unconstitutional
In a landmark ruling delivered today, Justice Monica Mugenyi of the Supreme Court upheld the unconstitutionality of the section 117(1)(h) of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Act, which previously allowed military courts to try civilians.
The decision comes after an appeal filed by the Attorney General in 2022 following a similar ruling by the Constitutional Court in 2022.
Justice Mugenyi confirmed that the General Court Martial (GCM) is not an independent or impartial court as required by Uganda’s Constitution, which mandates the right to a fair trial under Article 28(1).
She emphasized that the court’s structure and the process for appointing its judges were incompatible with constitutional standards, stating, “The General Court Martial is not an independent and impartial court and is inconsistent with the Constitution.”
The judgment was also critical of the vague provisions in the UPDF Act. Specifically, Justice Mugenyi ruled that section 117(1)(h) of the Act, which allows civilians who assist military officers in committing crimes to be tried in a military court, is void for its lack of clarity.
“Service offenses are not at cross purposes with the objectives of the UPDF or the legislative mandate of Parliament, and they are not inconsistent with the Constitution,” she noted.
In a bid to ensure the impartiality of the court, Justice Mugenyi proposed that members of the General Court Martial be appointed in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, guaranteeing that judges possess the necessary legal expertise and are not unduly influenced by military interests.
This recommendation was in line with her belief that the court must operate with the highest levels of independence and fairness, similar to the composition of industrial courts, which include civilian judges.
Justice Mugenyi’s ruling also modifies the orders in the lead judgment of the Constitutional Court, leaving room for potential amendments to section 117(1)(h) of the UPDF Act to address the identified defects.
She further clarified that the trial of civilians in the GCM remains an ongoing debate, and the procedure for appointing its members may still be reformed to ensure constitutional compliance.
The Supreme Court allowed the appeal by the Attorney General and dismissed the cross-appeal, marking a significant moment in Uganda’s legal landscape.
The ruling reinforces the principle of fairness in the judiciary, particularly concerning military jurisdiction over civilians, and is expected to have wide-reaching implications for future cases involving military trials.
This ruling arrives amidst ongoing concerns regarding the fairness of military trials, especially with opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye currently facing treason charges in the General Court Martial.
The case further underscores the need for continued scrutiny of the military court system, particularly as it relates to the trial of civilians under Uganda’s constitution.
Justice Mugenyi Affirms Military Trials for Civilians as Unconstitutional
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Fast-Rising DJ & Musician, Deejay Giovanni, Drops “Thank You Lord”

Uganda’s vibrant gospel music scene has a new anthem as Deejay Giovanni releases his latest song, Thank You Lord. Known for his unique blend of Christian rap and deejaying, Giovanni is quickly becoming a household name in East Africa’s music industry.
The 27-year-old artist, born on October 9, 1996, burst onto the scene three years ago with Kusaba, a hit that resonated with many and received massive airplay across Uganda and the East African region. His latest track, Thank You Lord, is deeply personal, drawn from his own experiences growing up as a ghetto child in Nansana. Through his music, he aims to inspire and give hope to those facing similar struggles.
Giovanni describes himself as a Christian artist committed to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through his music and DJ mixes. His passion for uplifting others and preaching through rap has set him apart in Uganda’s gospel music landscape.
With Thank You Lord, Deejay Giovanni continues his mission of using music as a tool for hope, faith, and gratitude. The song is expected to make waves among gospel lovers and beyond, cementing his place as one of Uganda’s rising gospel stars.
The singer Is Married to Salt Tv’s Presenter Dorah Jimmy who have been together for a while before solidifying their romantic relationship by welcoming their bundle of joy last year.
The couple held their colorful customary “Kukyala and kwanjula” ceremonies respectively ,
Keep an eye on Deejay Giovanni as he continues to shape the future of gospel music in Uganda!
Fast-Rising DJ & Musician, Deejay Giovanni, Drops “Thank You Lord”
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USAID : The Wealthiest MAN vs. The World’s Poorest Children

In Kristof’s column today, he wrote that “to anyone with a heart, it’s about children’s lives and our own security, and what’s unfolding is sickening.”
The foreign aid cutbacks jeopardize people’s lives worldwide, including the 20 million women, children and LGBTQ people receiving HIV-fighting antiretroviral medications that are funded by the nation’s foreign aid agency, USAID.
The world’s richest man is boasting about destroying the United States Agency for International Development, which saves the lives of the world’s poorest children, saying he shoved it “into the wood chipper.”
By my calculations, Elon Musk probably has a net worth greater than that of the poorest billion people on Earth. Just since Donald Trump’s election, Musk’s personal net worth has grown by far more than the entire annual budget of U.S.A.I.D., which in any case accounts for less than 1 percent of the federal budget. It’s callous for gleeful billionaires like Musk and President Trump to cut children off from medicine, but, as President John F. Kennedy pointed out when he proposed the creation of the agency in 1961, it’s also myopic.
Cutting aid, Kennedy noted, “would be disastrous and, in the long run, more expensive.” He added: “Our own security would be endangered and our prosperity imperiled.”
Perhaps that’s why Russia has praised Trump’s move.
In contrast with Kennedy, the Trump administration braids together cruelty, ignorance and shortsightedness, and that combination seems particularly evident in its assault on American humanitarian assistance.
One person has already died of bird flu in the United States, and there is growing concern of a pandemic — yet Trump’s suspension of foreign aid has interrupted bird flu surveillance in 49 countries, according to the Global Health Council, a U.S.-based nonprofit.
Remember the American panic over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014? (Trump was particularly hysterical back then.) In the end, an Ebola pandemic was averted — in part because of U.S.A.I.D.’s work in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
As it happens, another Ebola outbreak has just been reported in Uganda, with 234 contacts identified so far. U.S.A.I.D. would normally help suppress it — but now Trump and Musk have put it out of commission.
Another hemorrhagic fever, called Marburg virus, broke out in Tanzania last month. Aid workers are rushing to contain the virus, but again Trump has made the United States AWOL, leaving the world a little more vulnerable.
A disclosure: In 2012, U.S.A.I.D. made some games for India and Africa based on a book my wife and I wrote, “Half the Sky.” U.S.A.I.D. did not pay us anything for this, and the games did a good job promoting deworming, girls’ education and safe pregnancy.
I’ve seen U.S.A.I.D. operate all over the world, and it’s a mixed picture. It is fair to complain that U.S.A.I.D. is endlessly bureaucratic and that too much of the aid goes to so-called Beltway bandit American contractors rather than to needy people abroad.
Yet there’s no basis for the White House mythology that U.S.A.I.D. is an enclave of woke waste, reflected in Trump’s claim that it spent about “$100 million on condoms to Hamas” (he doubled his previous claim of $50 million).
Hmm. Male condoms cost the U.S. government 3.3 cents each, so that would be three billion condoms. By my calculation, for Hamas to use up that many condoms in a year, each fighter would have to have sex 325 times a day, every day.
That might wipe out Hamas as a fighting force more effectively than Israeli bombardment.
In any case, the actual amount of U.S. assistance spent on condoms for Gaza in recent years appears to have been not $100 million but $0.
Trump’s policies are as reckless as his rhetoric. I’d welcome some restructuring of U.S.A.I.D. But this isn’t restructuring but demolition — a blow to our values and interests alike.
The USAID Memorial Wall, which listed the names of 99 USAID employees killed in the line of duty.
These are the names of the 99 USAID employees killed in the line of duty as of May 2024. (Photo courtesy of The Foreign Service Journal)
Musk lambasted U.S.A.I.D. as “a criminal organization.” In fact, many of its employees have risked their lives in the best tradition of public service. The U.S.A.I.D. Memorial Wall honors 99 people killed while working for the agency in places such as Sudan, Haiti, Afghanistan and Ethiopia.
I’ve seen genuine improvements in U.S.A.I.D. over the years. Its public-private partnership to tackle lead poisoning, announced last year, was a model of American leadership. And so from my travels, this is what U.S.A.I.D. has come to mean to me:
I’ve seen women and girls with obstetric fistula, a horrific childbirth injury, get a $600 surgery that gives them back their lives — and this is something that U.S.A.I.D. supports.
I’ve seen men humiliated by elephantiasis and grotesquely enlarged scrotums, occasionally requiring a wheelbarrow to support their organs as they walk. And U.S.A.I.D. has fought this disease and made it less common.
I’ve seen children dying of malaria (and I’ve had malaria), and I’ve seen U.S.A.I.D. help achieve major strides against the disease over the last two decades.
I’ve seen southern Africa ravaged by AIDS. And then President George W. Bush’s landmark program against AIDS, called PEPFAR and implemented in part through U.S.A.I.D., transformed the landscape. I saw coffin makers in Lesotho and Malawi grumble that their business was collapsing because far fewer people were dying. PEPFAR has saved 26 million lives so far. (In the coming months, I’ll see if I can calculate how many lives are lost to Trump’s cuts in aid.)
I’ve seen the suffering of communities where people in middle age routinely go blind from trachoma, river blindness or cataracts — and the transformation when U.S.A.I.D. helps prevent such blindness.
Trump scoffed that U.S.A.I.D. was “run by radical lunatics.” Is it radical lunacy to try to save children’s lives? To promote literacy for girls? To fight blindness?
If this is woke, what about the evangelical Christians in International Justice Mission, which, with U.S.A.I.D. support, has done outstanding work battling sex trafficking of children in Cambodia and the Philippines? Does Trump believe that rescuing children from rape is a radical lunatic cause?
Trump’s moves are of uncertain legality, not least because U.S.A.I.D. was established by Congress, but the outcomes are indisputable. Around the world children are already missing health care and food because of the assault on the agency that Kennedy founded to uphold our values and protect our interests.
To billionaires in the White House, it may seem like a game. But to anyone with a heart, it’s about children’s lives and our own security, and what’s unfolding is sickening.
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Groundbreaking Queer Film ‘Ìfé’ Returns with Highly Anticipated Sequel

Pamela Adie, a renowned Nigerian activist, filmmaker, and director, announced the film on X (formerly Twitter), calling the sequel “magic.” The film is currently in production and is set for release in 2025.
Poster for Ìfé – The Sequel. (Courtesy Pamela Adie via X)
Unlike the typical Nollywood portrayal of same-sex relationships, Ìfé broke barriers with its authentic depiction of love, struggles, and triumphs within Nigeria’s queer community. The first film was hailed in international headlines for its raw honesty, capturing the experiences of women who love other women in a society where such narratives are often silenced or misunderstood.
The sequel continues the story of Ìfé, played by Uzoamaka Aniunoh, and Adaora, played by Gbubemi Ejeye. While their relationship appears perfect on the surface, unresolved issues from their past resurface after a pivotal encounter, threatening their bond. The film delves into themes of love, identity, family expectations, and the courage required to pursue happiness and self-discovery.
Joining the cast are other notable names, including Ozzy Agu, Najite Dede, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Sonny McDon, Amara Nnanna, Adunolaoluwa Osilowo, and Grace Coker, promising a stellar ensemble performance.
“I watched Ìfé (the short film), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the sequel. I love the poster already!” wrote one commenter on X.
In a country where LGBTQ+ representation in the media remains limited and often controversial, Ìfé stands out as a beacon of visibility and empowerment. Its first installment defied societal norms and sparked important conversations about love and identity. With the sequel, Pamela Adie continues her mission to tell stories that resonate with Nigeria’s queer community while challenging stereotypes and advocating for acceptance.
The anticipation for Ìfé – The Sequel is palpable, with many eager to see how Ìfé and Adaora’s journey unfolds. As queer film audiences count down to 2025, the film is already making waves, promising not just entertainment but a deeper reflection on love, courage, and the pursuit of authenticity in the face of adversity.
Groundbreaking Queer Film ‘Ìfé’ Returns with Highly Anticipated Sequel