Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have killed 22 Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels after a confrontation in the South West direction of Lusulube.

According to a statement issued by the army spokesperson Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, the confrontation happened on Saturday March 25.

“The UPDF Operation Force of two Mountain Battalion came into contact with the ADF terrorists in the South West Direction of Lusulube. During contact, 22 ADF terrorists were killed,”he said.

During the confrontation, one UPDF soldier RA/234770 Yasir Yasin also lost his life.

UPDF  recovered several items from the rebels including; four SMGs, 313 SMG rounds, 189PK rounds, five empty magazines, five Walkie Talkie Radios with their charger pots, eight solar panels and five solar batteries, 11 pieces of Quran, nine phones, two UPDF and eight FARDC uniform shirts, three FARDC backpacks and two ponchos.

UPDF has been on the hunt for ADF rebels since 2021 when they made an attack in Kampala. UPDF says over 400 rebels have been killed since the inception of the operation.

Veteran Journalist cum political analyst Andrew Mwenda has described the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 as stupid and redundant and vowed to petition court if the Bill is signed into law.

Mwenda, while appearing on NTV on the spot, said the Anti-Homosexuality Bill seeks to regulate morality, but doubts if it is possible for the state to regulate morality.

“The Anti-Homosexuality Bill is not only redundant but also, in many ways, stupid. Firstly, it is a bill that seeks to regulate morality. I wonder if it is possible for the state to regulate morality,” he said.

Mwenda argues that homosexuality is done in private and law enforcers cannot visit each and everyone’s bedroom to see who is practicing homosexuality.

Mwenda says if the Anti-Homosexuality Bill is signed into law, he will petition court again. Mwenda was one of the lead petitioners in a case that saw court nullify the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in 2014.

The Bill was nullified on grounds that there was no parliamentary quorum at the time of passing the Bill. However, the Bill was brought back into Parliament by MP Asuman Basalirwa.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 was passed by about 73% of the legislators, a number beyond the the required quorum.

Some human rights activists have come out to castigated the Bill saying it denys homosexuals their rights.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 awaits president Museveni’s signature to be passed into law. The Bill criminalises homosexuality and whoever is convicted risks being jailed for at least 20 years.

American nationals Mackeinze Leing Spencer and husband Nicholas Spencer who are accused of torturing their 10-year-old foster son have been granted a cash bail of shs100 million by Kampala High Court.

The duo was arraigned before Kampala High Court Justice Isaac Muwata who granted each of them a Shs50 million cash bail on grounds that the duo needed better medication which they cannot get at Luzira prison. Justice Muwata also ordered their four sureties to pay Shs50 million (non-cash).

Justice Muwata also requested the couple to handover their passports to court and barred them from traveling without court’s consent. The couple will report at the Deputy Registrar High Court International Crimes Division once in a month.

The two American nationals had through their lawyer David Mpanga asked court to grant them bail so they seek better treatment to their ailing health conditions.

Spencer and his wife are faced with four offences of aggravated torture, unlawful stay in Uganda, employment without a work permit, and trafficking in persons. If convicted, the couple is likely to face a death penalty.