We, the under signed nongovernmental organizations working to promote human rights and good governance in our respective countries and regionally in Africa in collaboration with various civil society organizations in Kenya, are gravely concerned about incidences of intimidations and hate campaigns to members of Kenya’s civil society organizations increasingly occurring after filing their Civil society representative Petition in the Supreme Court of Kenya on the 4th and 16th March 2013, challenging the process and legitimacy of the Kenyan March 4th 2013 General Elections.

It has come to our attention that social media hate campaigns which include using human rights activists’ passport photographs and their personal information are used to threaten and incite hatred against them for challenging, not the outcome, but the process that led to the March 4th 2013 General Election in Kenya. These messages are worrisome because they single out individual members of civil society for either condemnation or reprisals.

We express our grave concerns over these hateful messages being spread in Kenya and at global level. We find this outrageous as the members who filed the petitions are exercising their constitutionally given right to go to court when they have concerns as provided for in the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya, 2010 and under other national, regional and international instruments protecting electoral rights to which Kenya is party.

A CSO Statement on the Black Monday Movement and Call for Action

Preamble

Last year, we launched a renewed citizen drive in a rebranded effort to fight maleficent theft of public money and donor aid, dubbed the BLACK MONDAY MOVEMENT. We believe that the current efforts by Government to fight corruption are ineffective.

In 2013, we returned with even more determination to make our campaign against theft of public money count for all Ugandans. We have continued to dress in Black every Monday and hold an activity every first Monday of each month in light of increasing awareness about the scourge. Most importantly, we have committed to producing a free monthly Black Monday Newsletter that is circulated countrywide.

We the Civil Society Organisations here represented have convened this Press Conference as a follow-up to our previous press statements on the on-going debate in Parliament on the Petroleum bills and to update Ugandan citizens of what is going in parliament.

First of all, we would like to thank our Members of Parliament—across the political divide—for standing firm for right and not might and refusing to legislate the resource-curse syndrome in the petroleum bill and demanding a thorough and informed debate regarding the powers allotted to the minister responsible for petroleum sector. 

We reiterate our continued support to the MPs and commitment to keep up the pressure to ensure that the right legal and institutional framework is put in place.

Kampala, Uganda.

Uganda National NGO Forum, with support from Trademark East Africa, is launching a report with information generated from a research on citizens’ views on key areas related to East Africa integration today Tuesday 27th of November 2012 at Protea Hotel, starting at 8:00a.m.

Studies have shown that regional integration can contribute to a more equitable pattern of development if it has a strong social dimension. However, it is important to involve citizens in the development of a stronger citizen-led advocacy for more effective integration and trade.