Uganda

The International Criminal Court in The Hague has convicted Ugandan rebel leader Dominic Ongwen of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

It was the first trial before the world criminal court against a former child soldier. The leader of the notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), now about 46 years old, was accused of atrocities in northern Uganda, including murder, torture, and attacks on refugee camps, as well as the use of child soldiers. The judges considered it proven that the man ordered the deadly attacks.

Uganda's longtime President Yoweri Museveni has been elected for a sixth term with nearly 59 percent of the vote, according to the state election commission. Museveni's main rival, Bobi Wine, received just under 35 percent of the vote, the electoral commission said Saturday.

Thursday's presidential and parliamentary elections were preceded by one of the most violent election campaigns in years. At least 54 people died, government critics were intimidated or jailed, and journalists who had covered opposition events were attacked. On election day itself, a massive security force ensured calm, and the Internet has been blocked ever since.

Real-time network data shows that national internet connectivity in Uganda has fallen to 33% of ordinary levels following a government order to shut down the internet for the general population ahead of the general elections.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority recorded 367 wildlife poaching cases between February and June, twice as much as during the same period last year. This is due to many people who rely on income from tourism now have turned to poaching to make money or obtain food.

“They set snares for other animals that they want to eat. Like, the small antelope. Or a bushpig," Gladys Kalema Zikusoka, founder and chief of non-profit wildlife group Conservation Through Public Health, said. "They’ll go for those to eat them. And when they set these snares, gorillas can accidentally get caught in the snare. But worse still, we’ve had cases of people spearing gorillas. Yet they were not going for gorillas, they were going for diker and bush pig.”

The prime minister of Uganda Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has announced that he has gone into self-isolation after being in contact with people that tested positive for Covid-19. According to a tweet of his, he tested negative himself and self-isolation is a preventive and recommended measure.