Vaccination yet to go full throttle in Africa as doubts about safety keep people away
Tuesday April 27 2021
A member of the Kenya Defence Forces receives the Covid-19 vaccine. The military were among the first groups in the country scheduled to be vaccinated in Kenya. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
Summary
Amid hesitancy among priority groups, some countries are facing the challenge of using their doses before they expire, compelling health ministries to open up the inoculation to other categories of people than were previously planned for.
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Insufficient doses, poor uptake of the coronavirus vaccine by priority groups, inadequate trained staff for distribution, and scepticism about their safety and efficacy continue to define Africa’s efforts at inoculating people against Covid-19.
Uganda election petition filed at EACJ
Thursday April 01 2021
Summary
Applicants want the regional court to declare that the conduct and outcome of the presidential election were unlawful due to the “massive violence and criminality” that marred it.
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Six citizens from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have file a petition at the East African Court of Justice challenging the conduct of the January 2021 presidential election in Uganda.
The petition filed earlier this month, also asks the court to end the widespread violence and human rights abuses that erupted before the election, and some of which continue.
The lead petitioner Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku, is a Ugandan citizen, human rights activist, and secretary of the Uganda National Committee for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and All Forms of Discrimination. She is also a deputy chairperson of the National Unity Platform whose candidate in the election,
The East African
Monday March 15 2021
Bobi Wine supporters and journalists were beat up by Uganda’s Military Police in February. PHOTO | AFP
Summary
The rights body said the government should take steps to end the abductions of citizens by suspected state agents, and cease the detention, without trial, of opposition supporters.
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Human Rights Watch has called on Uganda to investigate cases of enforced disappearances, determine the whereabouts and status of the victims, release those arbitrarily detained, and prosecute those found responsible.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the rights body said the government should take steps to end the abductions of citizens by suspected state agents, and cease the detention, without trial, of opposition supporters.
Uganda starts vaccinating citizens against Covid-19
Thursday March 11 2021
Uganda s Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng receives her first jab of the Covid-19 vaccine at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala on March 10, 2021. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI | THE EASTAFRICAN
Summary
The first round of the first phase of vaccination will go on until March 19, and cover 950,000 frontline workers including health workers, security personnel, teachers and journalists.
The second round of vaccination in the first phase will be of persons above 50 years.
Phase two of the vaccinations will target citizens below 50 years with underlying health conditions and thereafter those between 18 and 50 years.
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Uganda on Wednesday rolled out the first phase of a nationwide Covid-19 vaccination.
The East African
Monday March 08 2021
National Unity Platform leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, addresses the Press on February 22, 2021 to announce his withdrawal from the Presidential election petition. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI
Summary
Last week, he instructed his lawyers to notify the Supreme Court that he was withdrawing the petition citing bias, impartiality of the court and the uncomfortable composition of the judges chosen to hear the petition.
He said he would instead take the matter to the people, the court of public opinion.
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The Supreme Court in Uganda has accepted the withdrawal of a presidential petition filed by former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine challenging the re-election of President Yoweri Museveni during the January 14 General Election.