#Ugandan politics

[dailyanarchistposts]

Everyone has their own definition of anarchism. One I find generally useful is the first three paragraphs of the article Peter Kropotkin was asked to write for the 11th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in 1905. This is the collection of volumes which (however repugnant we now find its sales techniques) is the place we look for a working definition of most things.

Kropotkin's first paragraph said that:

ANARCHISM (from the Greek, contrary to authority), is the name given to a principle or theory of life and conduct under which society is conceived without government — harmony in such a society being obtained, not by submission to law, or by obedience to any authority, but by free agreements concluded between the various groups, territorial and professional, freely constituted for the sake of production and consumption, as also for the satisfaction of the infinite variety of needs and aspirations of a civilised being.

That's his first paragraph, and of course he has the usual problem of anyone writing an encyclopaedia definition, he has to be concise, but at the same time, to bring everything in. So his second paragraph goes:

In a society developed on these lines, the voluntary associations which already now begin to cover all the fields of human activity would take a still greater extension so as to substitute themselves for the State in all its functions. They would represent an interwoven network, composed of an infinite variety of groups and federations of all sizes and degrees, local, regional, national and international — temporary or more or less permanent — for all possible purposes: production, consumption and exchange, communications, sanitary arrangements, education, mutual protection, defence of the territory, and so on; and, on the other side, for the satisfaction of an ever-increasing number of scientific, artistic, literary and sociable needs."

Kropotkin was a scientist, a physical geographer in origin, and his third paragraph drew an analogy from physics and from biology, and you might even claim from structural mechanics and music. For he claimed that:

Moreover, such a society would represent nothing immutable. On the contrary — as is seen in organic life at large — harmony would (it is contended) result from an ever-changing adjustment and readjustment of equilibrium between the multitudes of forces and influences, and this adjustment would be the easier to obtain as none of the forces would enjoy a special protection from the State.

These opening remarks express the kernel of his argument for society as opposed to the State, and for the community as opposed to the government.

[oyet]

Kawempe Mess: Dr. Omona's Tweet Ignites Firestorm in Ugandan Politics

State Minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation Dr Kenneth Omona has ignited significant political discourse with his recent tweet tagged #KAWEMPE MESS. In the post, Omona posed provocative questions about the events in Kawempe, suggesting they might have been designed to portray the National Resistance Movement (NRM) as incompetent or the National Unity Platform (NUP) as militant.These…

[kampalaedgetimes]

Meet Okori Brian | Since 2011, A Courageous Life Of Politics

We finally had a chance to come Up Close and meet Okori Brian, the EASYO chairperson. If you don’t know who, we are talking about, this article will help you understand who this young politician is. Who is Okori Brian? Born on 1st April 1999, Okori Brian aka Emoji Guy is a passionate politically oriented young man. He oozes excellent strategic communication and administrative skills. He stands…

[userdocumentary]

BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE'S PRESIDENT (2022) dir. Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp

[kenyagist]

Latest News in Uganda: Breaking Headlines and Updates from Kampala

Stay informed about the latest happenings in Uganda with our comprehensive coverage of breaking news, travel updates, and today’s headlines. From political developments to travel insights, we bring you real-time information about Uganda’s vibrant capital city, Kampala, and beyond. Discover the most recent stories, stay up-to-date with current affairs, and delve into the heart of Ugandan news.…

[makingqueerhistory]

The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World's Queer Frontiers

Mark Gevisser

More than seven years in the making, Mark Gevisser's The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World's Queer Frontiers is an exploration of how the conversation around sexual orientation and gender identity has come to divide--and describe--the world in an entirely new way over the first two decades of the twenty-first century. No social movement has brought change so quickly and with such dramatically mixed results. While same-sex marriage and gender transition are celebrated in some parts of the world, laws are being strengthened to criminalize homosexuality and gender nonconformity in others. As new globalized queer identities are adopted by people across the world--thanks to the digital revolution--fresh culture wars have emerged. A new Pink Line, Gevisser argues, has been drawn across the globe, and he takes readers to its frontiers. Between sensitive and sometimes startling profiles of the queer folk he's encountered along the Pink Line, Gevisser offers sharp analytical chapters exploring identity politics, religion, gender ideology, capitalism, human rights, moral panics, geopolitics, and what he calls "the new transgender culture wars." His subjects include a Ugandan refugee in flight to Canada, a trans woman fighting for custody of her child in Moscow, a lesbian couple campaigning for marriage equality in Mexico, genderqueer high schoolers coming of age in Michigan, a gay Israeli-Palestinian couple searching for common ground, and a community of kothis--"women's hearts in men's bodies"--who run a temple in an Indian fishing village. What results is a moving and multifaceted picture of the world today, and the queer people defining it.

(Affiliate link above)

[crossdreamers]

Trump Administration Halts Refugee Program, Leaving LGBTQ Refugees in Limbo

The U.S. State Department has abruptly canceled travel plans for thousands of refugees already approved to resettle in the United States. Persecuted LGBTQ refugees in East Africa are left in Limbo.

This decision follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which has long served as a lifeline for persecuted individuals worldwide, including LGBTQ people fleeing violence and discrimination.

Refugees in camps across South Sudan and elsewhere, who had hoped to begin new lives in the U.S., now face an uncertain future. Some members of this vulnerable population had already reached the U.S., but many others remain stranded, their dreams of safety dashed by the new policy.

Refugee status cancelled over night

The New York Times reported that more than 10,000 refugees were in the final stages of resettlement when their flights were canceled.

The Trump administration's executive order has effectively frozen the multi-agency process of admitting refugees, pending a review to determine whether resettlement aligns with national interests.

The review period is set for 90 days, but advocates fear the program may never resume, given Trump’s track record of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.

The halt also impacts the Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program launched in 2023 to allow Americans to assist refugees directly. Welcome.US, an organization dedicated to mobilizing support for refugees, confirmed that the suspension will take effect on January 27, except in rare, case-by-case exceptions.

Adding to the challenges, Trump has also terminated the CBP One app, which previously helped streamline legal migration and reduce unauthorized border crossings. This leaves refugees with even fewer avenues to seek safety in the U.S.

Protests from refugee organizations

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization, urges the Trump administration to reverse course, maintain the resettlement program and work with its partners around the world to maintain global resettlement slots:

"If the program is not restored, political dissidents, religious minorities, and the most vulnerable victims of war and disaster will pay the price, and so will the United States."

LGBTQ refugees in East Africa in jeopardy

The situation in refugee camps in Kenya and South Sudan can serve as an example of the severe negative consequences facing LGBTQ refugees.

Ugandan LGBTQ refugees are particularly vulnerable, facing severe discrimination not only in their home countries but also in refugee camps in Kenya and South Sudan.

We have reports of Ugandan LGBTQ refugees who left the UNHCR Kakuma camp in Kenya, because of reports of refugees getting help in one of the camps in South Sudan. Indeed, some of them had already been repatriated to the US, but many are left behind now that the US has closed its borders. Many are now exploring options to seek refuge in Canada, but their immediate prospects remain grim.

For now, these individuals are caught in a state of limbo, awaiting clarity on their futures.

As the Trump administration's policy shift draws widespread criticism, advocacy groups are exploring legal challenges to overturn the suspension and restore hope to those seeking safety.

Source: LGBTQ Refugees in East Africa

See also: The Life of an Ugandan LGBTQ Refugee in South Sudan

Vetted crowdfunding campaigns for refugees in Kenya and South Sudan:

Nakafeero

Elvis

Calvin Phil

Illustration: vertukha

[humanrightsupdates]

Uganda: Supreme Court Bans Military Trials of Civilians

Immediately Halt Ongoing Trials of Civilians; Review Past Convictions

(Nairobi) – Uganda’s Supreme Court ruling declaring military trials of civilians unconstitutional is a victory for human rights, Human Rights Watch said today.On January 31, 2025, the Supreme Court held that military courts lack jurisdiction to try civilians and ordered officials to halt all ongoing military trials of civilians and transfer them to the country’s civilian court system, but stopped short of declaring past convictions under the military courts void.“The Supreme Court’s decision is a major step to protect the right to a fair trial in Uganda,” said Oryem Nyeko, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Ugandan government should finally ensure justice for the many civilians wrongly convicted under these military trials as well as those awaiting trial.”For years, military courts have tried hundreds of civilians, including political opponents and government critics. The trials have often fallen short of domestic and international standards, violating the right to a fair trial and freedoms guaranteed by Uganda’s constitution.The 2005 Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Act establishes military courts to try offenses committed by people “subject to military law.” Military officials, who are not required to have legal qualifications, are appointed by a military leadership committee to administer these courts. Under the UPDF Act, the court may sentence a person to death.Human Rights Watch found in 2011 that the trials of hundreds of civilians convicted by these courts for alleged armed crime and cattle rustling in the northeastern Karamoja subregion did not meet international standards of competence, independence, and impartiality, and routinely violated the right of accused people to present a defense as well as their right against self-incrimination. There were also credible allegations of torture of accused people.Ordinary Ugandan courts have on several occasions ruled against the trial of civilians by court martial, including in 2021, when the Constitutional Court ruling found the provisions of the UPDF Act that allow for military trials of civilians unconstitutional.Despite this, the Ugandan authorities have continued to use military courts to prosecute and arbitrarily detain civilians, particularly political opposition leaders and supporters and government critics. They include, recently, an opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, who is facing trial at the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala.

[insanityclause]

Nalongo Catherine Zawedde Muwanga, the wife of Uganda’s former Vice President and Prime Minister, Paulo Muwanga, has died. The details surrounding her death have not been made public.

Paulo Muwanga, a significant figure in Ugandan politics, served briefly as the de facto president of Uganda and later as its Prime Minister. He was known for his crucial role during a turbulent period in Uganda’s history, particularly around the time of the 1980 elections, which eventually led to the government under President Milton Obote.

Nalongo Zawedde Muwanga was celebrated for her support and resilience during her husband’s political career, often providing a stabilizing presence behind the scenes. Her legacy includes not only her political and social contributions to Uganda but also her role in nurturing future generations.

The couple’s family extends into the international spotlight with their granddaughter, Zawe Ashton, who is a well-known British actress. Ashton, recognized for her roles in various British television series and films, has often spoken about the influence of her grandparents on her life and career.

——

Condolences to Zawe and Tom, and the Ashton and extended Muwanga families.

[tomorrowusa]

Uganda is Africa's most homophobic country. And the hatred unleashed there by the government and extremist religious groups has led to violence.

A prominent Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist is in a critical condition after he was stabbed on his way to work on Wednesday by unknown assailants on a motorbike.

Steven Kabuye, 25, suffered knife wounds and was left for dead in the assault on the outskirts of the capital Kampala before being found by local residents, police said. Human rights defenders have been warning about the risk of attacks on members of the LGBTQ+ community after Uganda last year adopted what is considered one of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world. Kabuye told detectives investigating the incident that he had been receiving death threats, according to a statement issued by police spokesperson Patrick Onyango. “According to Mr Kabuye, two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle, wearing helmets, approached him. The passenger jumped off and attacked him, specifically targeting his neck with a knife,” Onyango said. “Kabuye managed to shield his neck with his right arm, resulting in a stab wound to his hand. Despite attempting to flee, the assailants chased and stabbed him in the stomach and left him for dead,” he said, adding that local residents had found him and taken him to a medical clinic.

You can in certain instances get the death penalty for being gay in Uganda. The assailants probably felt it was their duty to try to murder Steven Kabuye.

In May last year, Uganda adopted anti-gay legislation containing provisions making “aggravated homosexuality” a potentially capital offence and setting out penalties for consensual same-sex relations of up to life in prison. Homosexuality has long been illegal in Uganda under a colonial-era law criminalising sexual activity “against the order of nature”, with life imprisonment possible for a conviction. The new law added further offences and punishments. Kabuye had posted on X that he was deeply concerned about the consequences of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. “This law violates basic human rights and sets a dangerous precedent for discrimination and persecution against the LGBTQ+ community. Let us stand together in solidarity and fight against bigotry and hate,” he wrote.

Uganda is a good place to avoid even if locals just think you are LGBTQ+.

Uganda's homophobic President Yoweri Museveni seized power in January of 1986. That's so long ago that the Space Shuttle Challenger was still intact when he began his reign as de facto president for life. According to the journal Foreign Policy, Museveni may be looking to turn Uganda into a North Korea-style monarchy without crowns.

Politics in Uganda has become a parable of dynastic decay. For 37 years, President Yoweri Museveni has ruled with a supporting cast of relatives, army officers, and hangers-on. They see themselves as the only ones capable of running the country—and have profited handsomely from doing so. Museveni has twice had the constitution rewritten to remove limits on his rule. But he is now 78, and he cannot rewrite biology. Enter his 49-year-old son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba: a hard-drinking, trash-tweeting soldier who considers himself “the most handsome General on earth.” After a rapid promotion through the army ranks, Kainerugaba says he wants to run for president at the next election in 2026.

Uganda is part of the corrupt Axis of Homophobia which includes Russia and Iran. It deserves the same opprobrium which is directed at those decrepit régimes.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Bethan McKernan at The Guardian:

The chief prosecutor of the international criminal court has said he is seeking arrest warrants for senior Hamas and Israeli officials for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant. Karim Khan said his office had applied to the world court’s pre-trial chamber for arrest warrants for the military and political leaders on both sides for crimes committed during Hamas’s 7 October attack and the ensuing war in Gaza.

He named Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas chief in Gaza, and Mohammed Deif, the commander of its military wing, considered to be the masterminds of the 7 October assault, as well as Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the group’s political bureau, who is based in Qatar, as wanted for crimes of extermination, murder, hostage-taking, rape, sexual assault and torture. In an extraordinary rebuke of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and its conduct in the war in Gaza, Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of extermination, causing starvation as a method of war, the denial of humanitarian relief supplies and deliberately targeting civilians. Monday’s statement notably does not include any Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials, such as its chief of staff, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, focusing instead on political decision-making. Khan, the British ICC prosecutor, must request the warrants for the Hamas and Israeli suspects from a pre-trial panel of three judges, who take on average two months to consider the evidence and determine if the proceedings can move forward. The ICC has previously issued warrants for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, the Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and the former president of Sudan Omar al-Bashir, but no leader of a “western-style” democracy has ever been issued a warrant.

While there is no imminent likelihood of prosecution, since Israel is not a member of the court, ICC warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest abroad, further deepening the country’s growing international isolation over its conduct in the war in Gaza. The move also presents fresh challenges for Israel’s western allies, who are already struggling to reconcile support for the Jewish state with growing evidence of war crimes in the seven-month-old conflict and respect for the post-second world war rules-based order. Netanyahu described the prosecutor’s accusations against him as a “disgrace”, saying: “I reject with disgust The Hague prosecutor’s comparison between democratic Israel and the mass murderers of Hamas. “With what audacity do you dare compare the monsters of Hamas to the soldiers of the IDF, the most moral army in the world?” Joe Biden, the US president, described the move as “outrageous” in a statement, adding: “Whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”

[...]

Condemnation of Khan’s decision from across the Israeli political spectrum was swift. The Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid, called the ICC’s actions a “disaster”. Benny Gantz, a former military chief and member of Israel’s war cabinet alongside Netanyahu and Gallant, criticised the ICC’s announcement, saying Israel fought with “one of the strictest” moral codes and had a “robust judiciary capable of investigating itself”. Khan suggested heavily in his statement that Israel’s judicial system “shields suspects”. Last year’s conviction rate for Palestinians tried in Israeli military courts was 96%, while fewer than 1% of complaints against Israeli soldiers ended in a conviction, according to the US Department of State’s annual human rights report.

Hamas, too, was critical of Khan’s announcement. The ICC prosecutor’s decision “equates the victim with the executioner”, the senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz described the chief prosecutor’s decision as “a historic disgrace” that would be “remembered forever”. The US Republican party is all but certain to pursue sanctions against members of the ICC as a result of Khan’s announcement; a group of a dozen Republican senators wrote a letter earlier this month warning his office: “Target Israel and we will target you.” Sanctions were levied by the Trump administration over the court’s investigations into Israel and US actions in Afghanistan, but later reversed by Joe Biden. In 2021, Khan decided to drop the US from the ICC’s Afghanistan file.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking arrest warrants for senior Israel Apartheid State and Hamas officials, such as Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Gaza’s Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Milton Keynes and music

This is why I need to tell you about my discovery of anarchy, in Kropotkin's sense, in Milton Keynes. It is because I have been reading, with very great pleasure, the book The Hidden Musicians: music-making in an English town by Ruth Finnegan, published last year by Cambridge University Press. She is an anthropologist from the Open University, so the particular English town she describes is Milton Keynes. The immense advantage of her ethnographical approach is that she refrains from making those value assumptions about music that most people automatically assume. As we all know, people talk about 'serious' music, meaning the music they take seriously, and implying that all other music is somehow frivolous.

Professor Finnegan has, I am sure, her own musical preferences, but she does not allow them to intrude on her study of music-making. I am reminded of Mark Twain's quip that "Wagner's music isn't really half as bad as it sounds".

Salvation Army bands, the Sherwood Sinfonia, the families dressing up for the Country and Western night, church choirs, the Morris Men and a hundred rock groups are all music, and when you consider the people hiring venues, arranging gigs, negotiating with visiting soloists, drawing up programmes, ferrying their children to rehearsals and carting tons of equipment around, let alone packing in the audiences, you realise that a vast and hitherto unrecorded proportion of the population anywhere is directly involved in the activity of music-making. In fact you feel that the whole population in one way or another is indirectly involved.

This is a remarkable social fact: that music-making is, more than anything else you can think of quickly, the cement of society, the expression of that social spontaneity that Buber was looking for, the most immediate and accessible example of Kropotkin's vision of "the highest development of voluntary association in all its aspects, in all possible degrees, for all imaginable aims; ever changing, ever modified associations which carry in themselves the elements of their durability and constantly assume new forms which answer best to the multiple aspirations of all."

Professor Finnegan manages to sweep aside endless assumptions: the sociologists' preoccupation with class, the distinctions we make between professional and amateur, and, above all, ideas about musical exclusiveness. The same busy performers can find themselves in a brass band one night, in a symphony orchestra another, and in an ad hoc jazz group at the weekend. This is the fluidity of involvement in changing communities that attracted Buber and Kropotkin. It's nice to think that a valuable element of the community quotient of any society, East or West, can be expressed in terms of the sheer number of young people endlessly practising for their big performances in a local pub under the self-deprecating group names they choose (Ruth Finnegan lists more than a hundred, of which a mild example is 'Typical Shit') . This is the backhanded way in which shared enthusiasms hold communities together.

Let us take a look at some of the interlocking, mutually supportive communities that her book describes, seeing them as a measure of the community content of Milton Keynes.

[mylanguage13]

Week 5: How Hashtag Activism Backfires

One day, we saw a movement is trending on the internet. The next? It’s buried under the latest meme. While hashtags have the power to amplify voices and bring attention to social issues, they also come with a catch: virality doesn’t always mean impact.

When Activism Feels More Like a Trend

Let’s talk about #BlackoutTuesday. The idea was simple: post a black square to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter. People promise not to post anything else that day and instead reflect on how non-Black Americans benefit from structural racism. But instead of boosting important conversations, it clogged social media feeds, drowning out actual resources and activism. The choice to go silent was flawed. Movements should amplify voices, not silence them (Noman 2020). Brands and influencers participated, but many treated it as a one-time performance rather than a commitment to real action (Spielmann et al. 2022). This is where hashtag activism struggles. Good intentions often get lost in performative gestures.

The Problem with Oversimplified Activism

The internet loves a catchy slogan, but real-world issues are never that simple. #Kony2012 blew up as a viral campaign against Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, but it quickly became a case study in Western-centric activism. It framed the crisis as something international intervention could fix. The movement overlooked local voices and real solutions, ignoring the complex political reality. It made people feel like they were part of something big, but once the hype died down, Uganda was left to deal with the aftermath of a movement that didn’t actually understand what it was trying to fix (Faloyin 2022). And that’s the problem with a lot of hashtag activism; it makes change feel instant, but real progress is slow, messy, and can’t be wrapped up in a neat, shareable post.

The Danger of Misleading Messaging

Words matter. #DefundThePolice was meant to advocate for shifting police funding toward social services like mental health support, housing, and education. But "defund" was a loaded term. It gave critics an easy way to misrepresent the movement as advocating for total police abolition, which wasn’t the goal for many activists (Bates 2021). The backlash was immediate, with politicians and media figures spinning the phrase into a fear-driven narrative (Cillizza 2021). Some cities experimented with budget shifts, but the movement struggled to maintain traction as the debate shifted from policy solutions to justifying the slogan itself.

At the end of the day, a viral hashtag is just the beginning. It can start conversations, but real change takes strategy, policy work, and actual activism. Without that, even the loudest movements fade into digital noise. So before jumping on the next trending hashtag, ask: is this just an online moment, or is it part of something bigger?

References

Bates, J 2021, How Are Activists Managing Dissension Within the ‘Defund the Police’ Movement?, Time.

Cillizza, C 2021, Even Democrats are now admitting ‘Defund the Police’ was a massive mistake | CNN Politics, CNN.

Faloyin, D 2022, Remember #Kony2012? We’re still living in its offensive, outdated view of Africa | Dipo Faloyin, the Guardian.

Noman, N 2020, What I learned about being a real ally after the #BlackoutTuesday disaster, NBC News.

Spielmann, N, Dobscha, S & Shrum, LJ 2022, ‘Brands and Social Justice Movements: The Effects of True vs. Performative Allyship on Brand Evaluation’, Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, vol. 8, no. 1.

[whimsicmimic]

Thanks for tagging me kim!!!! 💖💖💖 ( @yahargulian )

Last Song: The Way by Fastball

Favorite Color: if you’re asking for One and Only One, id probably have to say like a nice dusty rose, but I do also really like autumnal hues!! They make a nice painting palette :^]

Currently Watching: Chopped! Sittin on the couch hangin w my ma, watching Chopped, having a nice night

Last Movie/Show: uhhhhh if documentaries count, yesterday we watched God Loves Uganda, which is a documentary on the impact of predatory american evangelicals on ugandan politics. Other than that, last movie was the FNAF movie. Last show was Traitors US, which is DAMN GOOD REALITY TV!!! and last show with a narrative was my third or fourth rewatch of Trigun ‘98

Spicy, Savory, or Sweet?: Sweet!! I’m always a slut for hard candies. also craving clementines like a motherfucker rn. Midnight scurvy strikes yet again

Last thing I googled: aristotle ship of theseus

Tagging: @hypermoyashi , @missclovercat , @halemerry , @kithnkin , @orcelito , @deerkibble , @grimmseye , @situationwolf , @stellarwing , @turnpike-dusted wahoo!!

[thelensofyashunews]

NIGERIAN PRINCE OF AFROPOP OXLADE RELEASES TRAILBLAZING DEBUT ALBUM “OXLADE FROM AFRICA”

Today,Nigerian superstar Oxlade continues his hot streak by officially releasing his anticipated debut album, Oxlade From Africa, via Epic/Sony Music France. Listen to the album here.

Blending his past, present, and future into an all-encompassing vision, Oxlade From Africa is a bold and expansive 16-track musical and cultural journey that transcends borders, celebrating African heritage from Lagos to the world. With its title reflecting a broad, inclusive vision, the album highlights Africa’s cultures, elegance, and beauty, marking the next step in the Lagos-based artist's rise, showcasing his journey from breakout success to mainstream recognition.

Aiming to continue making Africans proud of their heritage, Oxlade uses his music, visuals and fashion to deliver a powerful message of unity, and is continuing the momentum from his massive global hit ‘Ku Lo Sa’, which has 574 million streams and was certified GOLD by the RIAA this week, and Double Platinum in Canada. The project is also home to recent singles ’Intoxycated’ ft. Dave, both halves of the double ‘KATIGORI/PIANO’ release, ‘Arabambi’ and most recent offering ‘IFA’ featuring Congolese superstar Fally Ipupa.

LP opener ‘Interlude’ features Ugandan political activist and musician Bobi Wine who introduces the album with a powerful co-sign and thought-provoking message, setting a powerful tone with an uplifting message of resilience and African spirit. ‘OLAITAN (Olaoluwa)’ which translates to “the wealth, the favor and the grace of God shall never leave you” in Yoruba, see’s Oxlade reflects on his life journey, embracing a mindset of faith and destiny over a warm and feelgood production. ‘Blessed’ features Jamaican Dancehall legend Popcaan and becomes an instant highlight as they share stories of overcoming struggles, highlighting that despite their youth, valuing your self-worth and positivity is key.

2023 summer smash ‘Intoxycated’ continues to ooze star quality alongside London rap king Dave as they showcase their storytelling finesse, delving into a story of love and the intoxicating traits that come with it. Oxlade’s global breakout hit ‘KU LO SA’ follows. Originally a spontaneous decision before his COLORS performance, the songs heartfelt lyrics symbolizes trust in intuition and the power of seizing opportunities, putting his vocal talents front and centre. ‘IFA’ is a sultry love song infused with Coupé-Décalé and Afrobeats rhythms, as Oxlade reassures his love interest that she is his priority, painting vivid images of devotion with cheeky metaphors, whilst Fally Ipupa’s melodic touch further amplifies the song's seductive energy.

‘Ovami’ features High-life legend Flavour and delivers a harmonious blend of love and unity as Oxlade taps into the rich heritage of High-life music, a sound central to Nigerian culture, making the track a celebration of love in all its forms.Spring single ‘Arabambi’ is the nickname of K1 De Ultimate, an iconic Nigerian Fuji musician and means “the child of the people”, “the community gave birth to this child”, “the one”. The track’s melody, inspired by Miguel’s vocal style, mixes African tradition with modern R&B, creating an irresistible fusion of rhythm, love and pride. ‘Tamuno (Interlude)’ is a spiritual pause in the album, offering a moment of reflection. Named after a deity in Nigerian culture, it serves as a homage to Oxlade’s faith and spiritual journey, laying the groundwork for the more sensual and energetic songs to follow, and ‘ASUNASA (Hold Your Waist)’ featuring Wande Coal offers exactly that. With influences from Wande Coal’s classic ‘So Mi So’, this stylistic offering sees both artists trade risque, Afrocentric verses, merging spiritual undertones with sensual energy to become an instant album highlight.

The P-Prime produced ‘Piano’ is a heartfelt love song that blends the soft hits of a log-drum, piano and drums with Oxlade's signature falsetto and ad-libs that characterises Oxlade’s effortless ability to create romantic anthems. The Sarkodie featuring ‘Ololufe’ is a tribute to the iconic "Ololufe" by Wande Coal, adding a modern twist with influences from Reggae, Dancehall, and Afrobeats. Sarkodie’s hard-hitting verse complements Oxlade’s smooth vocals, creating a dynamic love song that pays homage to African R&B while setting new standards. ‘RMF’ (Rich Motherf*cker) is a declaration of confidence and self-worth, drawing inspiration from Fela Kuti’s vintage Afrobeat sound as the 27-year-old unapologetically boasts about success, luxury, and the journey that got him here.

‘On My Mind’ (OMM) features TOMi Owo & OJAHBEE dives deep into the emotional rollercoaster of love, becoming an ode to first love as it explores the excitement and nervousness that comes with falling for someone. ‘Katigori’ is Oxlade’s manifesto, written during a time when he had fame but was still striving for success. Closing the album, ‘OFA’ embodies

Oxlade in his ultimate form. Again drawing from Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat and blending it with his Afro-Pop style, this track is the culmination of his journey—his evolution into a fully-realised artist. It's a powerful anthem of self-awareness, confidence, and embracing one’s destiny.

[coochiequeens]

This December 3rd remember that one in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life

The classroom in the Kamurasi Demonstration School in Masindi Municipality, Uganda, with the Ugandan Sign language alphabet drawn on the wall.

PHOTO:UNICEF/Uganda/Barbeyrac

United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities

Given the multiple crises we are facing today, the world is not on track to reach numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets by 2030. Preliminary findings from the forthcoming UN Disability and Development Report 2023 indicate that the world is even more off-track in meeting several SDGs for persons with disabilities.

Our efforts to rescue the SDGs for, with, and by persons with disabilities, need to be intensified and accelerated, given that persons with disabilities have historically been marginalized and have often been among those left furthest behind.

A fundamental shift in commitment, solidarity, financing and action is critical. Encouragingly, with the adoption of the Political Declaration of the recent SDG Summit, world leaders have recommitted themselves to achieving sustainable development and shared prosperity for all, by focusing on policies and actions that target the poorest and most vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy

When launching the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy in June 2019, the Secretary-General stated that the United Nations should lead by example and raise the Organization’s standards and performance on disability inclusion—across all pillars of work, from headquarters to the field.  

The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations. Through the Strategy, the United Nations system reaffirms that the full and complete realization of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In August 2023, the Secretary-General submitted his fourth report on steps taken by the UN system to  implement the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy in 2022.

Commemorative Event : UNHQ, 1 December 2023, 10am-1pm (New York Time)

The discussion will be structured around five pillars of sustainable development – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships – with a special focus on the priority areas identified in the SDG Progress Report of 2023, in the outcome document of the recent SDG Summit, in policy briefs prepared for the Summit for the Future and in the forthcoming UN Disability and Development Report 2023. For purposes of this discussion, the priority areas can be identified as gender equality (People), climate action (Planet), financing for development (Prosperity), a new agenda for peace (Peace) and strengthening multilateralism (Partnerships).

Concept note [PDF]

Did you know? 

Of the one billion population of persons with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries.

An estimated 46% of older people aged 60 years and over are people with disabilities.

One in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life, while one in every ten children is a child with a disability.