By Kabuye Ronald
The Uganda journalists Association (UJA) legal adviser and advocate, human rights defender Eron Kiiza has been awarded the outstanding impactful Human Rights Defender central Uganda 2020 by the National Coalition of Human Rights defenders- Uganda and Defend Defenders.
Eron Kiiza has not only been outstanding for defending journalists, activists and civil society rights but also fighting for the environmental rights, advocating and defending local communities rights.
Key among the cases of defending the local communities includes fighting and stopping the eviction of over 3000 victims from five villages of Mubende district which included Kambuye, Kikono, Kyabaana, Kanseera and Lwensanga.
He is also currently fighting for the rights of 0ver 35,000 victims of an alleged illegal eviction on over 20 villages covering about 9,300 acres in Kiryandongo district.
Eron who is also the managing partner of Kiiza and Mugisha advocates and chief executive officer of Environmental Shield, working with the journalists body, Uganda Journalists Association dragged the Uganda Communications Commission to high court and stopped the illegal suspension of 49 journalists, news managers and program producers from 13 media houses who were accused of relying live events of Pro National Unity Platform president Hon. Robert Kyagulany Ssentamu protests in 2019.
He is also currently advocating for the conservation of Bugoma forest.
In the same way James Rukampena was awarded the outstanding impactful human rights defender of the year 2020.
Rukampena advocates for the rights of rural communities and their access to natural resources in Kabrole district, western Uganda. He successfully petitioned the court against a private company’s monopoly on regional lakes.
Rukampena’s efforts came at a heavy price as reprisal for his activism, he was shot and lost his leg.
Jane Francis Oling, the founder of women in development Oyam scooped the outstanding HRD northern Uganda, she advocates for Women’s and Children’s rights, she is pushing the parliament of Uganda on issues pertinent to them.
Meanwhile Rose Amongin, the executive director of Kolir Women Development Organisation (KOWDO) won the outstanding HRD Eastern Uganda.
Amongin advocates for community development and the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS in eastern Uganda. She advocates for victims of conflict-related sexual violence and vulnerable children in the post-conflict Teso sub region.
These outstanding human rights defenders were awarded during the commemoration of the international human rights defenders day at royal suites bugolobi.
