Pinned Tweet
Over the next few weeks, Public Square, in collaboration with AirTrack by Air Aware Labs will test AirTrack Premium in Uganda through a series of community walks and runs.
Using location-based air-quality data, we will examine how route, time and physical activity affect personal exposure to PM₂.₅ and other pollutants, while testing continuous tracking, pollution hotspot detection, cleaner-route planning, four-day forecasts and personalised AirCoach recommendations.
This is where technology, citizen science and everyday movement come together to generate practical evidence for healthier urban journeys.
Walk with us. Run with us. Change the routes.
#AirTrackPremium #KampalaCleanAir #KampalaBreathes #CitizenScience #AirQuality #PublicSquareEA #GreenLyfNetwork
Kigezi is joining Uganda’s growing clean-air evidence network.
UCAII proudly welcomes Kabale University (@kabuniversity) as a regional air-quality sentinel for southwestern Uganda.
We appreciate the University’s commitment to turning open air-quality data into student research, classroom learning, community awareness and evidence-informed action. From the Kigezi highlands, Kabale University will help ensure that Uganda’s clean-air decisions are informed by evidence generated within the communities they affect.
We invite more universities and schools across Uganda to join UCAII, not only in advancing clean air, but also in building future partnerships in climate research, education and evidence-led action.
@UChiEnergy #UCAII #KabaleUniversity #AirQuality #CleanAir #EvidenceToAction
Public Square retweeted
Mr Andrew Mubiru told Justice Isaac Muwata’s Court that he’s the one who supervised the people who did blood spatter analysis in November 2023. He’s the one who forwarded that report.
He showed up in Court towards the end of 2024.
He knew from the blood spatter analysis report as to how that blood most likely got to the ceiling. It’s in the report!
To say Mrs Katanga might have urinated it there was extremely callous.
That was my question too. We know the suggestion that a woman could urinate on a ceiling sounds far-fetched but is that really the answer expected from a Director of Forensic Services?When a senior forensic official gives an answer like this, people are entitled to question the quality of the investigation
Public Square retweeted
As a country, we tend to think strategic communications is about sharing flyers and paying influencers to amplify them.
While the BOU Deputy Governor’s submission here leaves a lot of questions, perhaps a time has come for the country’s leadership to start thinking about getting capable people into leadership positions and not just friends, family and in-laws.
As per BOU Deputy Governor, we are all collectively paying the price of incompetence.
Negative publicity to blame for tough economy - deputy BoU governor.
links.monitor.co.ug/JnMdFt
#MonitorUpdates
Public Square retweeted
Quick Question: Is there any Judge who has overturned an @NRMOnline MP’s win?
Public Square retweeted
In terms of the case against Mrs Katanga?
Mr Andrew Mubiru essentially said he had NOTHING.
He agreed with Ms Lynne Hingley, the defense expert, that the DNA evidence before court was useless in as far as it pertains to identifying who discharged that firearm.
Replying to @TonyNatif
So apart from FACTS which AM doesnt have and Cooked up evidence that he has but still doesnt know how to frame them perfectly, what does he actually have?
Public Square retweeted
ICYMI: The Day ACP Andrew K. Mubiru tried to explain to a Judge Why the State Didn’t Run Fingerprints in a Gun Case.
He was also tasked to explain why, without fingerprints and having opted to use DNA evidence to show Mrs Katanga touched/ operated the killer gun, he somehow didn’t bother testing for touch DNA on the gun’s trigger, safety and grip.
He also ignored a trigger swab supplied by the SOCO and apparently took his own swab of two parts of a gun; the trigger and trigger housing and opted to pass them off as one part. Defense attorneys refused to take that sleight of hand.
In the witness stand: Andrew K Mubiru, Director Forensics Services in @PoliceUg
Cross examining Mr Mubiru: Mr Elison Karuhanga of Kampala Associated Advocates
Presiding Judge: His Lordship Isaac Muwata
Mr Mubiru had just explained why his DNA evidence couldn’t possibly be used to conclude that Mrs Katanga or anyone for that matter touched the killer gun.
He’d been asked to explain secondary transfer of DNA and how that can obscure true contact with the firearm then Mr Karuhanga tasked him to explain why, knowing this, the state somehow took fingerprints and didn’t report them.
Fingerprints are the best way to tell contact with a firearm.
AM:The same way we are talking about source and activity applies to fingerprints as well.
EK:No! Is there secondary transfer of fingerprints?
AM:Not necessarily but it can happen. It can happen.
EK: So, generally, can you confirm that before this court, there’s no evidence of fingerprints-in your report at least-on the gun?
AM: My Lord, my report is about DNA analysis and not fingerprint examination.
EK: As the Director of Forensic Services, the person in charge of all the labs in (Uganda) police, are you aware of any fingerprint report in this case?
AM: My Lord, I superintend over a team of 624 people…we have processes…
EK cuts him off and asks: in this case?
AM:In this case, I was assigned a role to be a DNA analyst, to supervise and undertake examination
EK: Is that the only role you undertook in this case? You’re under oath
AM:Yes
EK:Okay
(Note: Mr Mubiru was later to tell Mr MacDusman Kabega that he’s not the one who did the DNA analysis, the same having been done by a one Barnabas Haririmana and Mr Mubiru instead did examination and review).
EK to AM (after he claimed he possibly couldn’t know every report that came from his forensics department and was limited to DNA analysis):Did you forward a blood spatter analysis report to CID on the 25th of January (2024)?
AM:Yes, there’s a team under my command who are dedicated to doing that work. My role as an administrator….
EK: Hold on, let’s go slow. Did you forward a blood spatter analysis report to CID on the 25th of January? Yes or no.
AM: My Lord, I forward very many reports, I need to look at that one.
EK: Do you remember forwarding one on blood in this case or you don’t remember?
(Note: Mr Andrew Mubiru told Justice Isaac Muwata that he had directly supervised the team that conducted blood spatter analysis at the Katanga residence. Remarkably, going by his testimony, he did this without ever stepping in the room).
AM: Do share with me (the blood spatter report), I’ll remember
EK:Do you remember?
AM:I remember sharing very many reports.
He asks again to be given the report in question.
Mr Karuhanga sends it his way
AM:My Lord, this is a report from the department of criminal identification….
EK: No, did you forward it? Please answer the question that you’ve been asked. Did you forward that report?
AM: I can see a forwarding letter here
EK: Signed by you?
AM: It has my signature…
EK: Did you forward it?
AM: Forwarded on the 25th of January 2024….
EK: Thank you
Judge: Forwarded a blood what? Spatter?
AM: A crime scene report on blood stain pattern analysis…
EK: In fact you were even in the room when that was being done. Did you do that blood pattern analysis?
That last question opened up another pandora box…You just had to be there!
ICYMI: ACP Andrew Mubiru, Uganda Police’s Director of Forensic Services Tries to Downplay Domestic Violence Suffered by Mrs Molly Katanga.
On this day, Mr Mubiru said Mrs Katanga’s blood, found allover the room, might have been due to her urinating there! Judge advised him to stop “making outrageous statements”
Mr Elison Karuhanga of Kampala Associated Advocates was leading the cross examination of the state’s Star Witness, Mr Andrew Mubiru. Presiding Judge was His Lordship Isaac Muwata. This was before he was indisposed and was replaced by Her Lordship Rosette Comfort Kania
Verbatim reporting: 👇🏾
Judge Muwata inquiring into labeling of exhibit XX: (Is it) blood on the floor of the master bedroom?
EK to AM: You found blood on the floor of the master bedroom belonging to Molly Katanga? The one (exhibit) you corrected..
AM: Yes, that’s XII, exhibit labeled 2…
EK: So, that’s blood on the floor belonging to Molly Katanga?
AM: We received a swab, obtained from the floor near the eastern door to the master bedroom
EK: And it had blood?
AM: Yes
EK: And it had Molly Katanga’s blood?
AM: It (the blood) had DNA which was attributed to…
EK: Molly Katanga?
AM: Yes
EK: So it’s Molly Katanga’s blood?
AM: You can infer
EK laughs, as if in disbelief that Mr Mubiru can’t bring himself to say “this was indeed Molly Katanga’s blood”.
He then goes ahead with his cross examination: You also have blood on the western wall of the wardrobe of the master bedroom
AM: Yes, that’s exhibit labeled A
Judge Muwata: A? Blood on where?
AM: That is a cutting from the blood swab from the western wall of the wardrobe in the master bedroom near the door leading to the washroom and dressing room.
EK: You have another H.
AM: Yes
EK: And you explain that this is because on the part where the hair was recovered from, there was a lot of blood
AM: No. No, no, no. What I explained here is that when we received this item H, this H was within the same packaging as…aaah, it was near…
EK: You had told us it was on the side of the wall and that wall had a zone marked H. Are you changing your evidence?
AM: That’s not what I said
EK: Okay
Judge: But where were we? We have exhibits
EK: We have 2 exhibits marked H. H and then H, the same mark, the same letter
AM: Yes
Judge: Was there A, also?
AM: Yes
Judge: So now…?
AM: This was another H labeled specimen 6H2Y23S025-1.
EK: So, that’s blood again on the wall of the master bedroom?
AM: Yes, this was a swab which was together with another swab called G obtained from part of the wall between the southern master bedroom door and the washroom door.
EK: Then you have the next one which is also blood on the door curtain. Am I right?
AM: You’re speaking to exhibit labeled 22-1 where we draw a specimen 682Y23S027
EK: Am I right, that’s blood from the door curtain?
AM: Swabbing from the door curtain to the balcony of the master bedroom
EK: Molly Katanga’s blood?
AM still refuses to mention her name and simply says: “this was also attributed to the person in question.”
EK: You then have blood on the ceiling, correct? Which is exhibit C1-1
AM: Yes, that’s specimen S228; that is cutting from the blood swab from the concrete ceiling near the lightbulb.
EK: The blood on the ceiling was for who?
AM: This particular specimen, the DNA was attributed to the person in question.
Mr Mubiru still refuses to explicitly name Mrs Katanga as the person whose blood he found on the ceiling.
EK insists: No, was to who? (The blood he found)
AM finally cracks: it was attributed to Molly Katanga
EK: So, Molly Katanga’s blood is on the floor. Correct?
AM doesn’t answer
EK: You have Molly Katanga’s blood on the floor, correct?
AM: I have her DNA on most of these exhibits
EK: Do you have her DNA on the blood on the floor?
AM: I wasn’t there
EK: Do you have a blood swab with Molly’s DNA on the blood on the floor?
AM continues to vacillate: Yes, I have a blood swab. It says “cutting from the swab of the concrete ceiling near the lightbulb”
EK isn’t having it: Mr Mubiru, do you have her blood on the floor?
AM: My Lord, I didn’t put her blood on the floor so what’s the question?
EK: I think let’s first go to your duties, yah?
AM: Yes
EK: According to you, if you look at paragraph 36 of your report, yah?
AM: Yes
EK: You say what you understand your role in this court to be. Can you tell us what it is?
AM: Yes
EK reads Mr Mubiru’s own statement in his report: “Your role in this court overrides your obligation to the party to whom you’re engaged. Correct?”
AM: Yes
EK: You’re here to give this court full and frank answers, correct?
AM stutters
EK: Are you here to give this court full and frank answers?
AM: Yes, my Lord
EK: So answer the questions you’re asked without being evasive. Did you find Molly Katanga’s blood on the floor?
AM: I found Molly’s DNA on a swab which was recovered from the floor
EK: On the wardrobe…
AM: I found Molly’s DNA on a swab which was attributed by o having been recovered from the wardrobe.
EK: On the curtain…
AM: I found Molly Katanga’s DNA on a swab which was recovered from the curtain
EK: On the ceiling…
AM: I found Molly’s DNA on the swab which was recovered from the (blood) stain on the ceiling
EK: In the bathroom…
AM: I found DNA which was attributed to Molly on the swab which was recovered from very many swabs on door frames as attributed in the report
EK: So, they were all characterized by the police as blood swabs. Correct?
AM: Yes, they were characterized as blood swabs.
EK: So, they swabbed blood. Does that mean they took blood?
AM: I’d imagine so.
(Runkyakore translation)
EK: You found it (blood) on door frames of all the doors; the bathroom, the master bedroom, the nearby bedroom.
AM: My Lord, the DNA is on the swabs and those swabs are attributed to have come from those areas
EK: And those are blood swabs
AM: They’re blood swabs
EK: And they tested positive for blood?
AM: Yes, we tested them and they tested positive for blood.
EK: And the DNA in that blood belongs to Molly Katanga?
Judge Isaac Muwata: Yes?
AM answers: Yes
EK: Okay. So, it would be fair to say that Molly Katanga was subjected to the worst and most horrendous form of domestic violence in that room on that fateful November morning, correct?
AM: My Lord, that is the work of court to determine.
Judge Muwata was having none of that. He said to Mr
Mubiru: “No….Do you know or not?”
AM: My Lord….I don’t know
EK: But I said is it fair to make that conclusion?
AM: My Lord I’m not in that position to make that judgment.
EK: How does blood leave the body? It just gets out?
AM: You can urinate it as well.
(Courtroom laughs…)
EK: Did you find urine?
AM: You can bleed, you can urinate…
EK: Did you find urine?
AM: I was not the one at the scene, so….
A visibly angry Mr Karuhanga asks Mr Mubiru: Can you urinate on the ceiling?
AM: My Lord, I don’t know.
EK: Can a woman urinate on the ceiling?
(More courtroom laughter).
Mr Karuhanga seems uninterested in whatever is making the courtroom laugh. He seems to be getting rather angry at the answers he’s getting
AM: My Lord, the last time I checked, I’m not a woman so, you can ask them (women).
EK: You don’t even know that?
AM: My Lord I’m not a woman.
Judge Muwata intervenes: Just answer what you can. If you don’t know, say so, otherwise you (end up) saying outrageous things.
Judge to Mr Karuhanga: Anyway, he doesn’t know..
EK: He doesn’t know….
EK then says to AM: According to the state’s evidence…the state’s accusation, there was a violent confrontation in the bedroom that day. Would this DNA speak to that violent confrontation?
Mr Mubiru remains silent and looks at the prosecutors’ area.
EK: Don’t look at the state for answers…Would this DNA speak to a violent confrontation?
AM: My Lord I’d need to appraise myself with the characteristics of a violent confrontation…some violent confrontations…
EK: No, no, no. Would this DNA (speak to a violent confrontation)? Just say yes or no or I don’t know.
AM: No, the DNA cannot speak to that because my Lord this question I’ve already answered. I cannot speak to activities that led to the deposition of DNA
EK: Okay, fine. But you were at the scene….
UgandaVsMollyKatanga resumes soon after the Judges are done with electoral petitions.
Public Square retweeted
Mr Alex Bagada heads the Homicide Unit in the @ODPPUGANDA. Some lady is said to have drugged him and robbed him of UGX 129m.
The man was casually chilling in a bar with 129m in cash.
It’s still unclear as to whether the @IGGUganda will have a word with him as to the source of such cash but if it’s in his line of work, a certain homicide victim’s family might just wanna kiss goodbye to their chances of getting justice.
Public Square retweeted
ICYMI: The Day The Director Forensic Services in Uganda Police, ACP Andrew K. Mubiru, Told Court That The State Didn’t Have Evidence Linking Mrs Molly Katanga to the Firing of the Killer Gun; a Black Pistol, Zastava CZ99.
Mr Elison Karuhanga: Do you have A1’s (Molly Katanga) DNA on the grip (of the gun)?
Mr Andrew Mubiru: No, my Lord. No analysis was done on the grip.
Judge Isaac Muwata: Now….A1’s what?
EK answers the Judge: (A1’s) DNA on the grip
Judge Muwata: He doesn’t have it. Next?
EK: Do you have A1’s DNA on the safety lever?
(Note: With the safety on, a gun can’t fire. For one to fire, they must manually disengage the safety)
AM: No, my Lord. The safety area was not… errr…arrrr…
EK: You don’t have it!
AM: We don’t have it
Judge Muwata: The safety lever…aha? Next…
EK: Did you process exhibit 4-3 which was a specific swab on the trigger?
AM: No, my Lord.
As per the postmortem report before court, the state also took fingerprints and nail clippings from the Late Henry Katanga but apparently didn’t process them.
The defense, through Mr MacDusman Kabega said they probably processed them, found the results adverse to their case and suppressed that evidence.
UgandaVsMollyKatanga resumes after the Judges are done with election petitions.
She’s still mounting her defense.
ICYMI: The Day ACP Andrew K. Mubiru tried to explain to a Judge Why the State Didn’t Run Fingerprints in a Gun Case.
He was also tasked to explain why, without fingerprints and having opted to use DNA evidence to show Mrs Katanga touched/ operated the killer gun, he somehow didn’t bother testing for touch DNA on the gun’s trigger, safety and grip.
He also ignored a trigger swab supplied by the SOCO and apparently took his own swab of two parts of a gun; the trigger and trigger housing and opted to pass them off as one part. Defense attorneys refused to take that sleight of hand.
In the witness stand: Andrew K Mubiru, Director Forensics Services in @PoliceUg
Cross examining Mr Mubiru: Mr Elison Karuhanga of Kampala Associated Advocates
Presiding Judge: His Lordship Isaac Muwata
Mr Mubiru had just explained why his DNA evidence couldn’t possibly be used to conclude that Mrs Katanga or anyone for that matter touched the killer gun.
He’d been asked to explain secondary transfer of DNA and how that can obscure true contact with the firearm then Mr Karuhanga tasked him to explain why, knowing this, the state somehow took fingerprints and didn’t report them.
Fingerprints are the best way to tell contact with a firearm.
AM:The same way we are talking about source and activity applies to fingerprints as well.
EK:No! Is there secondary transfer of fingerprints?
AM:Not necessarily but it can happen. It can happen.
EK: So, generally, can you confirm that before this court, there’s no evidence of fingerprints-in your report at least-on the gun?
AM: My Lord, my report is about DNA analysis and not fingerprint examination.
EK: As the Director of Forensic Services, the person in charge of all the labs in (Uganda) police, are you aware of any fingerprint report in this case?
AM: My Lord, I superintend over a team of 624 people…we have processes…
EK cuts him off and asks: in this case?
AM:In this case, I was assigned a role to be a DNA analyst, to supervise and undertake examination
EK: Is that the only role you undertook in this case? You’re under oath
AM:Yes
EK:Okay
(Note: Mr Mubiru was later to tell Mr MacDusman Kabega that he’s not the one who did the DNA analysis, the same having been done by a one Barnabas Haririmana and Mr Mubiru instead did examination and review).
EK to AM (after he claimed he possibly couldn’t know every report that came from his forensics department and was limited to DNA analysis):Did you forward a blood spatter analysis report to CID on the 25th of January (2024)?
AM:Yes, there’s a team under my command who are dedicated to doing that work. My role as an administrator….
EK: Hold on, let’s go slow. Did you forward a blood spatter analysis report to CID on the 25th of January? Yes or no.
AM: My Lord, I forward very many reports, I need to look at that one.
EK: Do you remember forwarding one on blood in this case or you don’t remember?
(Note: Mr Andrew Mubiru told Justice Isaac Muwata that he had directly supervised the team that conducted blood spatter analysis at the Katanga residence. Remarkably, going by his testimony, he did this without ever stepping in the room).
AM: Do share with me (the blood spatter report), I’ll remember
EK:Do you remember?
AM:I remember sharing very many reports.
He asks again to be given the report in question.
Mr Karuhanga sends it his way
AM:My Lord, this is a report from the department of criminal identification….
EK: No, did you forward it? Please answer the question that you’ve been asked. Did you forward that report?
AM: I can see a forwarding letter here
EK: Signed by you?
AM: It has my signature…
EK: Did you forward it?
AM: Forwarded on the 25th of January 2024….
EK: Thank you
Judge: Forwarded a blood what? Spatter?
AM: A crime scene report on blood stain pattern analysis…
EK: In fact you were even in the room when that was being done. Did you do that blood pattern analysis?
That last question opened up another pandora box…You just had to be there!
Public Square retweeted
Here’s a courtroom video in which Mr Andrew Mubiru essentially admitting to having no evidence linking Mrs Katanga to firing that gun.
It’s 2 years gone from the time he showed up in court and said his DNA evidence couldn’t be relied upon to say she even touched, let alone operated that gun.
She remains in jail to this day.
Public Square retweeted
We continue to fall for the freedom of Mr @MaleMabiriziHKK.
His free speech rights continue being violated by the very people supposed to protect them.
#FreeMaleMabirizi
“When the fight becomes lonely, the crowd thins quickly.” -Ndigejjerawa
Anko @TonyNatif the records have you. You have been there for @MaleMabiriziHKK, you have always asked for updates, you have advocated for him, defended him even when those he called friends went silent. Tnx
Public Square retweeted
The drug they say they’re gonna manufacture is Hydroxyurea (Hydroxycarbamide), a drug first synthesized in Germany in 1869!!
It has been in use since the 60s; meaning it’s been off-patent for ages. There’s nothing novel about manufacturing it.
In fact, Quality Chemicals in Luzira already does.
Public Square retweeted
Just listen to a Senior Police Officer, The Director of Forensic Services, no less, and you’ll know why we all need to fight this fight.
What do you mean blood is on the ceiling because a battered woman might have urinated it there?
Replying to @TonyNatif
I need to pay more attention to Tony's fight with that section of the Police. The man has been relentless 🤣
Public Square retweeted
Here, Mr Andrew Mwenda sounds like that primary school class monitor for whom every problem has them running to report to the Headmaster.
Pupil x has passed wind in class, run to the HM, pupil Y has their school shirt not tucked in, run to the HM etc
It might endear that class monitor to the HM for a short while but after sometime, the HM gets exhausted from being invited to settle petty issues that others should be solving. The class monitor, though well intentioned, ends up looking bereft of basic agency and certainly short of leadership skills. He’s seen for what he really is; an ineffective leader who abuses access.
Yesterday the Inspector General of Government (IGG) interdicted the current CEO of Uganda National Mining Company (UNMC), Mr Gerald Banaga-Baingi, and the Corporation Secretary, Lelia Bwambale, to pave way for a full investigation of the organization. Now, sources at UNMC say that Mr Banaga-Baingi is still in office.
Apparently, the chairperson of the board, Mrs Maria Kiwanuka, has not officially notified Mr Banaga-Baingi of this decision - for whatever reasons. Nonetheless, Banaga-Baingi must have read the official statement of the IGG on X (Twitter). His continued presence in office is obvious defiance of the IGG. It must therefore be aimed at covering up evidence.
I have spoken to the CDF who is also chairman of PLU and the leading person in the anti corruption crusade, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. He says he fully supports the decision of the IGG. Mr Banaga-Baingi’s defiance of the IGG cannot be tolerated. He is advised to leave office immediately or face the full force of the state to evict him forcefully by police or UPDF.
Public Square retweeted
Even the trigger.
Mr Mubiru further testified that while it’s true he was given the swab from the trigger, he somehow chose not to test it but instead took his own swab of the trigger and trigger housing, somehow reported it as if it were one component of a gun until defense lawyers called him out on it. He also kept no record of that swab so it’s all “trust me bro”.
It’s almost like the police didn’t wanna find the person who pulled that trigger.
Mr MacDusman Kabega said they probably tested the trigger and fingerprints, found the results adverse to their case and chose not to report.
Replying to @Wassajja_Aiden
Which DNA are you referring to? Mubiru himself testified in court that he never tested Molly’s DNA on the grip or the safety. Even an amateur knows that checking for DNA on the grip is one of the first things a forensics team does.
Public Square retweeted
Domestic Violence and the Law
It’s only in Uganda where justice officials will meet with people from the west, accept millions of Euros/Dollars to apparently fight Gender-Based Violence, while the same country’s courts have very senior @PoliceUg officers like The Director of Forensic Services, Mr Andrew K. Mubiru, downplaying the suffering of GBV victims and getting them jailed.
See Frame 1
The State acknowledges that a woman was beaten to near death. The aforementioned ACP Andrew Mubiru said her blood was found allover the room, including bloody hair on a door edge where her head was likely banged.
But when asked to speak to how her blood might have gotten there if not for domestic violence, he said he didn’t know…..“she might have urinated there”.
Asked if a woman can urinate on a ceiling, his answer was : “I don’t know, I’m not a woman….ask women”. The then presiding Judge had to remind him to “stop making outlandish statements”.
Frame 2
That’s an excerpt from a court report by @DailyMonitor from when the very highly skilled and experienced Director of Health Services in Uganda Police gave testimony in that case. He essentially said this lady could have died if there was no urgent medical intervention to manage her wounds suffered due to domestic violence.
Frame 3
That’s an excerpt from a Dutch funded study that found that while women form 5% of Uganda’s prison population, 87% of them are in prison on domestic violence related charges.
Many of those are victims of a police to prison pipeline built in attracting donor funding only to not solve the problem.
We desperately need #DPPReforms
#EmptyTheJails
📌The Austrian Government, @UNFPAUganda and @GovUganda Launch €3.4M SAFER Phase III to Advance Justice, SRHR and GBV Services in Northern Uganda
Today, @MoJCAUG Permanent Secretary, Mr. Robert Kasande together with Ms. @rachel_odoi, the Senior Technical Advisor-JLOS Secretariat hosted the official signing of a €3.42 Million Tripartite Agreement between the Austrian Government, @UNFPAUganda and @GovUganda at JLOS Towers, Kampala.
The agreement launches Phase III of the SAFER Project (2026–2029) – Sexual and Reproductive Health, Access to Justice, Freedom, Equality and Rights – under the leadership of the @MOJCA and the @Mglsd_UG.
What SAFER III will deliver:
Building on Phases I & II, the project will expand survivor-centred access to justice, uphold SRHR, and address GBV across Karamoja, Acholi and Lango sub-regions, targeting 830,872 direct beneficiaries – primarily women, adolescent girls, persons with disabilities and underserved communities.
Key interventions include:
▶️Scaling up integrated SRHR, GBV prevention & response, and legal services
▶️Strengthening institutional capacity – ODPP, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prison Service, UHRC, Local Council Courts – to reduce case backlogs through special court sessions and ADR
▶️Advancing social transformation by tackling harmful practices including FGM, child marriage, and emerging forms of violence such as technology-facilitated GBV
“This support reflects Austria’s continued commitment to strengthening the rule of law and protecting the rights of vulnerable populations,” said @Dr_KatjaK, Head of Austrian Embassy in Uganda
“By streamlining integrated health, justice, and protection services, UNFPA is committed to ensuring that every survivor of GBV receives rapid, dignified, and survivor-centered support,” said Ms. Kristine Blokhus, @UNFPAUganda Country Representative.
The programme uses a systems-strengthening approach, embedding into national structures for sustainability, with CSOs such as @uwonet.
This is fully aligned with Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
We thank the Government of Austria and UNFPA for this continued partnership.
Public Square retweeted
ICYMI: ACP Andrew Mubiru, Uganda Police’s Director of Forensic Services Tries to Downplay Domestic Violence Suffered by Mrs Molly Katanga.
On this day, Mr Mubiru said Mrs Katanga’s blood, found allover the room, might have been due to her urinating there! Judge advised him to stop “making outrageous statements”
Mr Elison Karuhanga of Kampala Associated Advocates was leading the cross examination of the state’s Star Witness, Mr Andrew Mubiru. Presiding Judge was His Lordship Isaac Muwata. This was before he was indisposed and was replaced by Her Lordship Rosette Comfort Kania
Verbatim reporting: 👇🏾
Judge Muwata inquiring into labeling of exhibit XX: (Is it) blood on the floor of the master bedroom?
EK to AM: You found blood on the floor of the master bedroom belonging to Molly Katanga? The one (exhibit) you corrected..
AM: Yes, that’s XII, exhibit labeled 2…
EK: So, that’s blood on the floor belonging to Molly Katanga?
AM: We received a swab, obtained from the floor near the eastern door to the master bedroom
EK: And it had blood?
AM: Yes
EK: And it had Molly Katanga’s blood?
AM: It (the blood) had DNA which was attributed to…
EK: Molly Katanga?
AM: Yes
EK: So it’s Molly Katanga’s blood?
AM: You can infer
EK laughs, as if in disbelief that Mr Mubiru can’t bring himself to say “this was indeed Molly Katanga’s blood”.
He then goes ahead with his cross examination: You also have blood on the western wall of the wardrobe of the master bedroom
AM: Yes, that’s exhibit labeled A
Judge Muwata: A? Blood on where?
AM: That is a cutting from the blood swab from the western wall of the wardrobe in the master bedroom near the door leading to the washroom and dressing room.
EK: You have another H.
AM: Yes
EK: And you explain that this is because on the part where the hair was recovered from, there was a lot of blood
AM: No. No, no, no. What I explained here is that when we received this item H, this H was within the same packaging as…aaah, it was near…
EK: You had told us it was on the side of the wall and that wall had a zone marked H. Are you changing your evidence?
AM: That’s not what I said
EK: Okay
Judge: But where were we? We have exhibits
EK: We have 2 exhibits marked H. H and then H, the same mark, the same letter
AM: Yes
Judge: Was there A, also?
AM: Yes
Judge: So now…?
AM: This was another H labeled specimen 6H2Y23S025-1.
EK: So, that’s blood again on the wall of the master bedroom?
AM: Yes, this was a swab which was together with another swab called G obtained from part of the wall between the southern master bedroom door and the washroom door.
EK: Then you have the next one which is also blood on the door curtain. Am I right?
AM: You’re speaking to exhibit labeled 22-1 where we draw a specimen 682Y23S027
EK: Am I right, that’s blood from the door curtain?
AM: Swabbing from the door curtain to the balcony of the master bedroom
EK: Molly Katanga’s blood?
AM still refuses to mention her name and simply says: “this was also attributed to the person in question.”
EK: You then have blood on the ceiling, correct? Which is exhibit C1-1
AM: Yes, that’s specimen S228; that is cutting from the blood swab from the concrete ceiling near the lightbulb.
EK: The blood on the ceiling was for who?
AM: This particular specimen, the DNA was attributed to the person in question.
Mr Mubiru still refuses to explicitly name Mrs Katanga as the person whose blood he found on the ceiling.
EK insists: No, was to who? (The blood he found)
AM finally cracks: it was attributed to Molly Katanga
EK: So, Molly Katanga’s blood is on the floor. Correct?
AM doesn’t answer
EK: You have Molly Katanga’s blood on the floor, correct?
AM: I have her DNA on most of these exhibits
EK: Do you have her DNA on the blood on the floor?
AM: I wasn’t there
EK: Do you have a blood swab with Molly’s DNA on the blood on the floor?
AM continues to vacillate: Yes, I have a blood swab. It says “cutting from the swab of the concrete ceiling near the lightbulb”
EK isn’t having it: Mr Mubiru, do you have her blood on the floor?
AM: My Lord, I didn’t put her blood on the floor so what’s the question?
EK: I think let’s first go to your duties, yah?
AM: Yes
EK: According to you, if you look at paragraph 36 of your report, yah?
AM: Yes
EK: You say what you understand your role in this court to be. Can you tell us what it is?
AM: Yes
EK reads Mr Mubiru’s own statement in his report: “Your role in this court overrides your obligation to the party to whom you’re engaged. Correct?”
AM: Yes
EK: You’re here to give this court full and frank answers, correct?
AM stutters
EK: Are you here to give this court full and frank answers?
AM: Yes, my Lord
EK: So answer the questions you’re asked without being evasive. Did you find Molly Katanga’s blood on the floor?
AM: I found Molly’s DNA on a swab which was recovered from the floor
EK: On the wardrobe…
AM: I found Molly’s DNA on a swab which was attributed by o having been recovered from the wardrobe.
EK: On the curtain…
AM: I found Molly Katanga’s DNA on a swab which was recovered from the curtain
EK: On the ceiling…
AM: I found Molly’s DNA on the swab which was recovered from the (blood) stain on the ceiling
EK: In the bathroom…
AM: I found DNA which was attributed to Molly on the swab which was recovered from very many swabs on door frames as attributed in the report
EK: So, they were all characterized by the police as blood swabs. Correct?
AM: Yes, they were characterized as blood swabs.
EK: So, they swabbed blood. Does that mean they took blood?
AM: I’d imagine so.
(Runkyakore translation)
EK: You found it (blood) on door frames of all the doors; the bathroom, the master bedroom, the nearby bedroom.
AM: My Lord, the DNA is on the swabs and those swabs are attributed to have come from those areas
EK: And those are blood swabs
AM: They’re blood swabs
EK: And they tested positive for blood?
AM: Yes, we tested them and they tested positive for blood.
EK: And the DNA in that blood belongs to Molly Katanga?
Judge Isaac Muwata: Yes?
AM answers: Yes
EK: Okay. So, it would be fair to say that Molly Katanga was subjected to the worst and most horrendous form of domestic violence in that room on that fateful November morning, correct?
AM: My Lord, that is the work of court to determine.
Judge Muwata was having none of that. He said to Mr
Mubiru: “No….Do you know or not?”
AM: My Lord….I don’t know
EK: But I said is it fair to make that conclusion?
AM: My Lord I’m not in that position to make that judgment.
EK: How does blood leave the body? It just gets out?
AM: You can urinate it as well.
(Courtroom laughs…)
EK: Did you find urine?
AM: You can bleed, you can urinate…
EK: Did you find urine?
AM: I was not the one at the scene, so….
A visibly angry Mr Karuhanga asks Mr Mubiru: Can you urinate on the ceiling?
AM: My Lord, I don’t know.
EK: Can a woman urinate on the ceiling?
(More courtroom laughter).
Mr Karuhanga seems uninterested in whatever is making the courtroom laugh. He seems to be getting rather angry at the answers he’s getting
AM: My Lord, the last time I checked, I’m not a woman so, you can ask them (women).
EK: You don’t even know that?
AM: My Lord I’m not a woman.
Judge Muwata intervenes: Just answer what you can. If you don’t know, say so, otherwise you (end up) saying outrageous things.
Judge to Mr Karuhanga: Anyway, he doesn’t know..
EK: He doesn’t know….
EK then says to AM: According to the state’s evidence…the state’s accusation, there was a violent confrontation in the bedroom that day. Would this DNA speak to that violent confrontation?
Mr Mubiru remains silent and looks at the prosecutors’ area.
EK: Don’t look at the state for answers…Would this DNA speak to a violent confrontation?
AM: My Lord I’d need to appraise myself with the characteristics of a violent confrontation…some violent confrontations…
EK: No, no, no. Would this DNA (speak to a violent confrontation)? Just say yes or no or I don’t know.
AM: No, the DNA cannot speak to that because my Lord this question I’ve already answered. I cannot speak to activities that led to the deposition of DNA
EK: Okay, fine. But you were at the scene….
UgandaVsMollyKatanga resumes soon after the Judges are done with electoral petitions.
ICYMI: ACP Andrew Mubiru admits, with difficulty, that all blood he found allover the Katanga bedroom was Mrs Katanga’s except blood on the bed where Mr Henry Katanga was found dead in a pool of his own blood, gun besides him.
He also acknowledged that @PoliceUg investigators weren’t interested in how Mrs Katanga was injured and bled allover the bedroom.
GBV and the Law: Twice a Victim
As a society, we love the aesthetics of activism against GBV but the moment a victim fights back to stay alive , the system and public turns on them. We are literally incarcerating the victims we claim we want to protect.
Nowhere has this been more stark than this court session I’m gonna share.
Background
Mrs Molly Katanga is charged with shooting and killing her husband on the morning of 2/Nov/2023.
The state alleges there was a “domestic brawl” in the couple’s bedroom after which the wife shot the husband on the left side of his head and he died.
Her children, house help and a medical personnel who rushed to the scene are also charged as accessories after the fact.
They’re said to have tampered with the crime scene and destroyed evidence. This, despite the SOCO telling court that in his opinion, the state got all the evidence they could have needed from the scene.
On Mrs Katanga’s side, her defense is that she was a victim of egregious domestic violence at the hands of her husband. The beatings she took, according to the Head of Medical Services in Police Dr Moses Byaruhanga could have killed her if there was no immediate medical attention. He was a state witness.
The house-help, Mr George Amanyire reported hearing loud cries for help from her as her now deceased husband beat her relentlessly.
George tried to intervene but the husband ordered him away and continued beating her as she continued crying for help which never came.
Then silence, briefly interrupted by a loud sound that house occupants thought was a breaking glass, then more silence later interrupted by calls for help by Mrs Katanga.
George reportedly rushed back upstairs only to find a trail of blood on the floor which he followed and found Mrs Katanga lying in a pool of her own blood in her son’s room adjacent to the couple’s bedroom, blood gushing from both hands, and her head.
He told police that he thought her brains were oozing out. Her hands were barely attached to the rest of the arm. She was whispering “my children, my children”.
A medic, Mr Charles Otai was immediately called. So was police, Mrs Katanga’s children and Mr Katanga’s sister Naome Nyangweso.
The two daughters and Mr Otai showed up almost immediately.
The police showed up more than 2 hours later and pretty much jailed whoever was at the scene. The Sister in law showed up long after she’d been told her brother had died.
Mrs Katanga was rushed to IHK where medical intervention saved her life.
Back to the scene on Chwa II road, the immediate family alleged suicide, the state briefly investigated that then immediately abandoned it and substituted it for homicide.
Thus started a murder case that’s now inched into its third year.
To support their murder charge, then DPP Jane Frances Abodo claimed in her indictment that she had evidence of Mrs Katanga’s DNA on the gun; which, when taken with other evidence at the state’s disposal would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Molly Katanga killed her husband.
Mrs Katanga, after public pressure and a ferocious media onslaught-mounted by her sister in law Naome Nyangweso and some other Katanga associates- was yanked out of her hospital bed and dragged before a Magistrate in Nakawa, in a wheelchair.
She was immediately dispatched to Luzira where she still is to this day; having been denied bail thrice.
When the trial eventually started in 2024, the state brought out its star witness, ACP Andrew Mubiru.
He’s the Director of Forensic Services in Uganda Police and he’s said to have analyzed the DNA samples in this case and found Mrs Katanga’s DNA dominant on the pistol magazine, barrel as well as trigger and trigger housing.
The presiding Judge, Her Lordship Rosette Comfort Kania partly relied on that to find a case to answer against Mrs Katanga. She’s currently in the middle of her defense.
Anyway, back to Mr Mubiru’s court appearance:
He did say he was the one who did DNA analysis in this case; then when pressed further said he wasn’t the one who did it but a one Barnabas Haririmana did it and he only worked as a reviewer and supervisor.
He indicated that then DPP Abodo made up those claims of having DNA evidence pinning Mrs Katanga; the same having not been processed at the time of indictment. We’ve covered this extensively.
Today, we’ll concentrate on the domestic violence issue.
In the witness stand was Mr Andrew Mubiru; being cross examined by Defense Attorney Mr Elison Karuhanga of Kampala Associated Advocates.
Video in Frame 1
Mr Mubiru had told court that DNA can be transferred from one individual to another and even from that individual to an object.
He said he didn’t test for background DNA on the gun so his report could not tell who put DNA on it, how it was put (activity level analysis) or even when it was put.
The import of this being that even if Mr Katanga held his wife’s hand a week earlier and then held his gun for cleaning or anything, her DNA could be transferred there and thus be found there by Mr Mubiru. Ditto the fact that the gun was found on the bed shared by the couple ultimately meant that it was expected to have both their DNA. That’s not really controversial.
Mr Mubiru’s report also indicated that the couple’s bedroom had blood allover it and except for the bed, the rest of the blood was Mrs Katanga’s.
Mr Karuhanga then took him through the different areas her blood was found, according to police swabs taken, analyzed and reported by Mr Mubiru.
EK to AM: Next one is blood from the swab of the door handle for the bedroom opposite the master bedroom. Again would I be correct to say Molly Katanga bled while making contact with that door?
AM: My Lord he’s talking about activity, I cannot talk about activity. I can only tell you about the source.
EK: The source is blood. You see now we are at a different level.
AM: Yes
EK: The gun you don’t know what it is. This you know someone was bleeding
(Note: AM had said he didn’t know which material he tested on the gun. He simply said it was “biological material of human origin”. When pressed as to what type it was, he said it could be anything: skin cells, sweat etc. Mrs Katanga’s hands were heavily bleeding and the expectation is if indeed she had held the gun, the state could have found blood on it. They didn’t.)
AM: Yes, and that is Molly’s blood (on the door handle).
EK: That is Molly’s blood?
AM: Yes
Judge Muwata: It was where?
EK: On the door opposite the master bedroom
EK to AM: And the next one….Molly’s blood was in the changing room.
AM: Yes, that is in the changing room inside the master bedroom.
EK: You even recovered her hair, which is on the next page…
AM: Yes
EK: With blood
AM: Yes, that is a piece of hair with suspected blood stains….EK cuts him off and says “recovered from a door frame…”
AM agrees and adds “in the washroom”.
Judge: Her hair? Is he the one who recovered it?
EK: My Lord I’m not sure, he was there.
AM: My Lord I did not recover it. I examined exhibit labeled H, a piece of hair with suspected blood stains recovered from the door frame of the washroom.
EK: And that is Molly Katanga’s hair with blood.
AM: Silence
EK: Now, explain to us activity level propositions.
(Note: you might not tell what it is from Mr Mubiru’s complex answer but activity level looks at how and when DNA material was deposited on an item instead of just saying XYZ’s DNA is there. It’s important to do this in order to establish a clear DNA trail and then criminality if present. For a gun crime for instance, one can shake your hand then a few hours later, pull a trigger in your absence. Your DNA can be there but it doesn’t mean you put it there by pulling the trigger or that you touched the gun at all).
Now to AM’s answer: My Lord, activity level propositions are propositions that would ordinarily be developed by an expert….they should be developed in pairs and they should be mutually exclusive.
EK tries to get him to be clearer: But they are propositions that deal with the activity that caused DNA to be deposited
AM: Yes; propositions are formulated prior to undertaking any analysis.
EK: My question is; are they propositions that….you’re just making a speech, let’s deal with the question you’ve been asked.
AM: My Lord I was asked to explain activity level propositions and that’s what I’m explaining. These propositions are ideally supposed to be done before analysis is done and they result from an investigator who has been able to interview either the victim or the suspect.
EK: An activity level proposition would be able to tell the activity that caused the DNA to be deposited there
AM: My Lord the propositions that we form are only able to give you an indicator of whether to believe a certain set of propositions or the other. So, that’s why we do them in pairs; mutually exclusive and they should be developed after a careful analysis by the investigators’ interview of both the victim or the suspect
EK: Would it take a forensic scientist to know that if you found blood on the side of the door with someone’s hair, that person’s head was bashed on that door? Do you need a Master’s from King’s College London( for that)?
(Note: Mr Mubiru got his graduate degree from KCL).
AM: No, my Lord, that’s not our role. We cannot begin developing propositions without a clear instruction from the investigator.
Judge Muwata: Develop what?
EK to the Judge: He can’t develop propositions without a clear instruction from the investigator.
EK to AM: So, the investigators were not interested in knowing how Molly Katanga’s blood was deposited allover that room?
AM: I don’t know. He then said he couldn’t answer for the investigators as he wasn’t one.
Public Square retweeted
His Lordship Bernard Namanya is in charge of the Jet Tumwebaze Vs Aine Sodo Kaguta case, the same having been handed to him after Justice Thomas Ochaya got indisposed.
Should the country brace for some more “creative” legal reasoning?
Public Square retweeted
In many ways, this @NRMOnline win in the courts hurts them more than it helps them.
Because, how are you giving your opposition such a weapon all in the name of an extra parliamentary seat in a house you control by more than 85?
Public Square retweeted
Sadly, your former boss at @ODPPUGANDA, Jane Frances Abodo has played a significant role in desecrating the sanctity of the High Court of Uganda.
From brazenly lying to High Court Judges as DPP about having evidence she clearly didn’t have (read: forensics evidence in some cases) to now overseeing it as Principal Judge and simply looking the other way as Judicial Officers stomp on the very laws they swore to protect and uphold.
The High Court is no-longer a refuge of the weak from the overreach of power. It is power’s final guillotine against the weak.
Don’t forget to send your Mama a thank you card.
Public Square retweeted
“A credible ADR institution requires not only a sound legal foundation, but also appropriate structures, capable personnel, effective systems, professional standards, and meaningful stakeholder collaboration”
The Solicitor General is absolutely right on this.
I’d add: it should also be built on the principles of fairness FOR ALL.
Solicitor General Reaffirms MoJCA Commitment to Strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution
The Solicitor General, @PiusPerryB1 , has reaffirmed @MoJCAUG's commitment to strengthening the Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (@CADR_MoJCA) to promote professional, accessible and effective Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services in Uganda.
Biribonwoha made the remarks this morning, while officiating at the opening of the African Women in Arbitration (@WArbitration ) Investment Arbitration Training Workshop at JLOS Towers, Naguru, Kampala.
The two day workshop, running from 22–23 October 2026, brings together arbitration practitioners and other stakeholders to strengthen professional capacity, promote knowledge-sharing, and advance arbitration and alternative dispute resolution across Africa.
@PiusPerryB1 thanked AWA, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), CADR, the World Bank Group, the Law Society – Legal Aid Project and other partners for supporting initiatives that advance arbitration and dispute resolution on the continent.
He emphasised that @MoJCAUG remains committed to providing the institutional support and enabling environment necessary for CADR to effectively discharge its mandate.
“ A credible ADR institution requires not only a sound legal foundation, but also appropriate structures, capable personnel, effective systems, professional standards, and meaningful stakeholder collaboration,” he said.

































