Rwanda welcomed more than 5,000 Commonwealth organization delegates to its capital Kigali last week for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held under the theme, ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’, to discuss shared priorities that will shape the work programs of the organization.

The four-day event attracted dignitaries from Commonwealth forums on youth, women, business and civil society, presidents, prime ministers and their representatives from across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe who assembled at the Kigali Conference Centre for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally and delayed the meeting for two years.

Established more than 70 years ago, the Commonwealth organization started with the objective of upholding democracy, rule of law and good governance around the world.

Two years after Uganda became the first country on the African continent to host the CHOGM, Mozambique and Rwanda joined the organization comprised of mainly former British colonies with Rwanda becoming the last country to join the Commonwealth, in 2009.

Speaking during CHOGM on Friday, Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda said; holding the meeting in Rwanda, a new member with no historical connection to the British Empire, expresses the host country’s choice to continue reimagining the Commonwealth for a changing world.

“The Commonwealth we need is on the frontlines of global challenges, not on the peripheries, watching events unfold. Our special strength is to bring issues into focus that might otherwise be overlooked,” said Kagame.

The Prince of Wales, who represented Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth, emphasized the need to “respond to climate change and biodiversity loss that threatens our very existence … as we build back from the pandemic that has devastated so many lives.”

During the same meeting, Patricia Scotland retained her position as the Commonwealth secretary-general after she was re-elected with 27 votes against 24 of Kamina Johnson, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Jamaica.

Scotland who in 2016 became the first woman to hold the Commonwealth secretary-general post said that she is determined that when the role of Secretary-General rotates to Africa, two years from now, she will hand on the baton with a stronger and more effective powerful Commonwealth than ever before.

Other new guidelines launched by HRH, the Duchess of Cornwall for Commonwealth countries include stopping and preventing violence against women and girls.

Globally, one in three women and one in six men have experienced a form of domestic or sexual violence in their lifetime.

“In the strength of our unity, we, the women and men of the Commonwealth, stand with victims and survivors, who, despite the temptation to hide away in silence, speak up so that others know they aren’t alone—whether in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific or the Caribbean and Americas,” The Duchess of Cornwall said on Wednesday, adding, “In so doing, we have the opportunity to end gender-based violence and those laws and practices that discriminate against women.  And each one of us must take personal responsibility not to let this opportunity be lost.”

About the Commonwealth:

Key facts

Full name: Commonwealth of Nations

Member states: 54(+ 2 new)

Head of the Commonwealth: Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)

Secretary-General: Patricia Scotland (since 2016)

Population: 2.5 billion

Area: 30 million square kilometres

Foundation of modern Commonwealth: 1949

Headquarters: Marlborough House, London

Focus: Development, democracy, climate change

Landmark events

1926: Balfour Declaration. Declared the UK and the dominions as equal in status as members of “the British Commonwealth of Nations”.

1931: Statute of Westminster. Established legislative independence for the dominions and set the basis for the relationship between Commonwealth realms and the crown.

1949: London Declaration. Birth of the modern Commonwealth. Allowed republics as members, to allow independent India’s continued membership. “British” dropped from title.

1971: First Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Singapore.

1991: Harare Declaration. Sets out Commonwealth’s core values.

2020: The Maldives becomes the Commonwealth’s 54th member after application for re-admission was approved.

Population, area, GDP 

Countries drawn from: Africa (19 + 2 new), Caribbean and Americas (13), Pacific (11), Asia (8), Europe (3).

Biggest country by population: India (1.4 billion).

Smallest country by population: Tuvalu (11,000).

Biggest country by area: Canada (9,984,670 square kilometres).

The Commonwealth also admitted Gabon and Togo (former French colonies) as its 55th and 56th members respectively. It follows formal expressions of interest by Gabon and Togo and consultation with member countries.

Leaders accepted applications by the two West African countries at the closing session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Samoa was also selected as the host of the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that will be held in 2024.

The Commonwealth, which began as eight nations in 1949, has grown to 56.

Police in Butaleja District is holding a 40-year-old teacher at Mabale Primary School in Butaleja Sub–county, Butaleja district on allegations of molesting and sodomizing about 18 male pupils aged between 7 to 12 years.

According to Butaleja territorial police, the teacher who reportedly committed the crime between January-May 2022 was reported by David Nambula Magson, the school head teacher.

Moses Mugwe, the Bukedi South Regional Police Spokesperson said detectives have already recorded statements from the complainant and at least 13 of the victims adding that medical examinations on the victims will be done by the regional police surgeon.

Mugwe noted that the crime scene was visited by police and well documented; adding that they have commenced investigations into a case of sodomy against the primary school teacher under a general enquiry file.

The suspect is currently detained at Butaleja Central Police station and “will be charged accordingly” after police investigation.

Betty Neshiwe, the Butaleja District Senior probation officer noted that such cases have not been common in Ugandan schools but asked that justice should prevail.

Aidah Mugoya Nehole, the district secretary for gender, labour and social development said the suspect should be disqualified from teaching and government should ensure that he is punished. 

Hajira Namagogwe Butaleja, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) also condemned the alleged teacher’s alleged act.

The territorial police at Entebbe has arrested, Nkurunzinza Laurent alias Mulaalo 38, a casual labourer and resident of Bukola village, Nkumba Parish in Katabi Town Council Wakiso District.

Luke Owoyesigire, the deputy police spokesperson Kampala metropolitan said that the suspect was arrested following the disapperance of Twinomujuni Prossy, 28, a resident of Kawafu cell, Nkumba Parish Katabi Town Council in Wakiso District that was registered by Twinomujuni’s husband on 7th December 2021.

After interrogation, the suspect told detectives where the body of the deceased was.

On Thursday June 23, 2022, Nkurunziza led Flying Squad Unit operatives and detectives to his work place in Bukolwa village, Nkumba Parish, Katabi Town Council in Wakiso District where the body was buried.

The suspect had buried the victim in a white polythene bag in the piggery farm where it was found decomposing.

Owoyesigire said the suspect also led the police to the farm house, where a hammer suspected to have been used in the murder and the hoe, which was used to dig the grave were recovered and exhibited.

The body of the deceased was taken to the city mortuary at Mulago for a post mortem.

The suspect has been detained at Nateete Police Station as investigations continue.

Owoyesigire said that the motive of the murder will be communicated in due course.

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Police in Serere has arrested four sisters suspected to have murdered their 65-year-old biological father identified as John Okure, a resident of Igora II village Okulonyo parish, Orio sub-county in Serere district.

The arrested have been identified as Deborah Achumo, Ester Achom, Susan Ikwadi and Martha Akwango.

Fred Enanga, the Police spokesperson said that trouble started when the sisters believed that an evil spirit had taken possession of their father during the prayers.

“The facts gathered reveal that on the June 15, 2022, Martha Akwango, one of the suspects returned from school while crying, after she got possessed by evil spirits. When she reached at their home, her three other female siblings, started praying over her, to cast away the demons that had attacked her,” said Enanga.

It is alleged that the three sisters, while casting out demons from their younger sister, attacked their father inside the home they shared, and beat him to death on June 15.

It is further said that the siblings poked out both his eyes, which in their vision, was fired with evil spirit, and the cause of the demonic attacks on them.

Enanga described the attack as extremely violent adding that the scene of the crime was full of blood with the deceased’s both eyes poked out.

He added that the four siblings have since been arrested and they are being processed on murder charges.