Latest news with #Sentamu


CAF
31-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
From first passport to home glory: Yunus Jr. Sentamu relives CHAN takeoff, eyes another lift-off in 2024 edition
From the lush hills of Kasese to dazzling under continental lights, Uganda Cranes forward Yunus Junior Sentamu has experienced a football journey shaped by resilience, raw talent, and divine timing. As the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) approaches—this time co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania—the man known as 'Manucho' reflects on his unforgettable 2014 breakthrough and the dream of lifting his nation on home soil a decade later. A Flight into the Unknown 'I didn't even have a passport until CHAN 2014,' Sentamu recalls with a smile. 'That was my first time on a plane. South Africa was my first trip abroad, and CHAN gave me my first real stage.' Back then, the young striker was a late inclusion in coach Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic's squad, only replacing Patrick Edema who had moved to Portugal. Unknown to many and overwhelmed by the names around him, Sentamu could never have imagined what was about to unfold. 'I was nervous the entire time—from the team meeting to the warm-up,' he admits. 'Then Coach Kajoba pulled me aside and told me I would score. And I did. Twice.' Those two goals in Uganda's opening 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso made Sentamu an instant national hero. He finished the tournament tied as joint top scorer with three goals, alongside South Africa's Bernard Parker. It was more than just goals—it was a turning point. A passport, a flight, and a breakthrough that changed his life. Mentors, Faith, and Unseen Sacrifices Long before he took flight, football was almost forbidden in Sentamu's home. His parents, especially his mother, were staunchly against it. 'She wanted me to focus strictly on school,' he says. 'But my friend Kibaya helped me sneak out to play and even convinced my parents to let me try.' The turning point came when the late Peter Ssebulime spotted him during a local tournament and promised to take care of both his football and education. Sentamu was soon enrolled at St. Julian Gayaza and later at football powerhouse St. Mary's Kitende. 'That foundation and belief from Ssebulime, plus the passion from Mr. Sserugo, changed everything,' he says. A Return with Purpose Ten years later, Sentamu is no longer the anxious teen needing confidence from coaches. He returns to CHAN 2024 as one of Uganda's most experienced and iconic forwards, eager to help the Cranes finally reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history. 'I'm not just back for nostalgia,' he says. 'I'm here to make sure we go beyond the group stages. It's been long overdue.' Drawn in Group C alongside heavyweights South Africa, Algeria, Niger, and Guinea, Uganda's path is steep. But Sentamu sees opportunity, not intimidation. 'It's not about names anymore,' he says. 'It's about how well you prepare and believe. The home crowd is our 12th man.' History in the Making at Home Hosting CHAN for the first time in FUFA's centenary year means even more to the Vipers SC forward. He knows the pressure and the privilege that come with playing in front of home fans. 'We owe them a performance,' he says. 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—for the players, the fans, and Ugandan football. If we channel that energy right, it could be magical.' CHAN 2024 is not just another tournament for Sentamu. It's a full-circle moment—proof that with grit, guidance, and God, dreams can take flight from anywhere, even the hills of Kasese. As Uganda prepares to host Africa, Sentamu is ready to inspire again—not with nerves this time, but with maturity, vision, and a deep desire to make history.


The Herald Scotland
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Slavery victims cannot be ‘abandoned' over loophole concerns, says Theresa May
Baroness May of Maidenhead, who as home secretary introduced the Modern Slavery Act, was speaking as peers continued their detailed scrutiny of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which has already cleared the Commons. Labour's flagship immigration reforms would introduce new offences and counter terror-style powers to tackle people smugglers bringing migrants across the English Channel. People selling and handling boat parts suspected of being used in migrant Channel crossings could face up to 14 years in prison and the Government wants to make it an offence to endanger another life during sea crossings to the UK. The total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year now stands at more than 21,000, a record for this point in the year. But Lady May was concerned trafficking victims could end up falling foul of the law by committing an immigration offence under coercion and called for 'duress of slavery' to be made a legal defence. She said: 'My concern is that in the attempt to smash the gangs, the Government may inadvertently catch up within the requirements of this Bill those who are acting not in order to make money or simply for themselves but because they have been forced to do so by their traffickers or slave drivers. They are acting under the duress of modern slavery.' Lady May added: 'It may very well be that somebody who is being brought under duress of slavery, who is being trafficked into sexual exploitation, for example, may in effect be committing an immigration crime. I believe that they should have the ability to use the fact that it was under duress of slavery as a reasonable excuse for a defence.' She told peers: 'If we are all agreed that people who have been enslaved should not be caught up by this Bill and be charged with these offences, then I urge the minister to accept that that needs to be specified on the face of the Bill.' But former archbishop of York Lord Sentamu said: 'What about a member of one of these criminal gangs that are bringing people over? They could easily say as their defence, 'I was under duress when I did what I have done'. What would be the response to such a line of defence?' Conservative shadow Home Office minister Lord Davies of Gower said: 'It is the duty of government to seek to protect those who are under duress of slavery.' But he added: 'This amendment might risk creating a considerable loophole which could be easily exploited by bad actors. This is not to say that I do not support the intent behind the amendment.' Responding, Lady May pointed out there was a mechanism in place for assessing if someone had genuinely been enslaved and trafficked into exploitation. She said: 'That should, if the process works well, weed out criminal gang members who claim such modern slavery. That addresses the loophole point Lord Davies of Gower raised.' She added: 'It is very tempting to say, as has been said to me by some colleagues, that all of this just creates loopholes. 'But I say to them that if we are genuinely concerned that slavery exists in our world today, in 2025, and that people are being brought into our country into slavery – that they are being trafficked by criminal gangs which make money out of their expectations, hopes and misery when they face exploitation and slavery – and if we feel that that is wrong, we should do something about it. 'We draw our legislation up carefully so that we do our best not to create loopholes. 'But we cannot simply say that we abandon those in slavery, or those who are being exploited, because we are worried about a loophole.' More than 21,000 migrants have so far crossed the Channel in small boats this year (Gareth Fuller/PA) Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint argued protections being sought by Lady May were already covered by the Modern Slavery Act. A provision in the 2015 law 'provides a statutory defence against prosecution where an individual was compelled to commit an offence as a result of their exploitation', he said. Other changes proposed by Lady May to the legislation included ensuring the confiscated belongings of potential slavery victims were safeguarded so they may later be used to prove their status. She also called for a provision under which slavery victims coerced into acting as a guardian for children during sea crossings are not prosecuted for 'endangering another' as proposed by the Bill for people smugglers.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
'Men and boys struggle with emotional literacy'
"There's a real sense of emotional illiteracy among men and boys and there are difficult emotions, difficult things that happen in life, but nobody teaches us how to process them." Ben Hurst, from the charity Beyond Equality which works with young men on tackling issues around violence against women and girls, and the topic of masculinity, has been speaking to Riz Lateef on her BBC Radio London programme on Friday. Their conversation followed the news of the sentencing of Hassan Sentamu, who repeatedly stabbed 15-year-old Elianne Andam outside a shopping centre in Croydon, south London, in September 2023. He was ordered to spend at least 23 years in prison for her murder. Ben believes there is a "real systemic issue" across the UK with how boys, and men, have been socialised to move through and experience the world. He said it is about addressing the "attitudes beneath the behaviour". The Old Bailey heard Sentamu had a history of aggression towards young people and girls. In her sentencing remarks, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said on Thursday, when he was aged 11, he harmed himself and, unprovoked, assaulted other children at school. She added: "While in foster care you used a knife to threaten a pupil who you thought was mocking you on a school trip. You threatened to stab another student with scissors. On another occasion you assaulted two female pupils at the school." The court also heard Sentamu had "not had the benefit of a settled and nurturing, childhood and family life". BBC iPlayer: The Big Cases - The Bus Stop Murder Ben told BBC Radio London: "My heart breaks for Elianne and the Andam family, that's a life that's been cut short, potential that's wasted that will never be seen. "There's also some kind of feeling there for Hassan, not in a sense of 'I wish that hadn't happened to him', because we want justice ultimately, but we know the statistics about prisons, which don't often lead to rehabilitation." "So the question remains, what happens to this young man who's done this thing and how do we move forward? Two wasted lives," he added. Ben believes there are real issues with how boys are able to process situations. He said: "They manifest in a range of different ways and lots of ways that are widely inappropriate - and you add that to the context of sexual harassment, sexual violence, gender-based violence, men's violence against women and girls, men's violence against men." The court heard the day before Sentamu killed Elianne, she and her group had teased him and thrown water over him in an attempt to get him to apologise to his ex-girlfriend. Jurors were told that later that day the teenager had told a friend he felt there had been disrespect shown to him by Elianne and her group. The court heard that Sentamu had called the friend and told him: "I can't let this slide." Elianne's cousin, Reverend Denzil Larbi, told BBC London: "We knew exactly what that meant," Rev Larbi told BBC London. "We knew it meant he's going to bring some sort of harm. "I honestly believe if it wasn't Elianne it would have been someone else, and so yeah, he was looking to bring some sort of revenge that day." In his victim impact statement, Rev Larbi told Sentamu he had committed "the most monstrous and evil act that is imaginable". He told BBC London he questioned whether more could have been done to prevent Elianne's murder. "What would have happened if maybe another male took him by the hand and maybe invested in him and mentored him? "Or if other organisations really took him by the reins and said: 'Yes, we recognise you're struggling here, we're here to listen'. "I really wonder if maybe my cousin would still be here." Croydon Council said there are no plans for a serious case review. Rev Larbi said Elianne's family hope to work with schools to talk to young people about the dangers of carrying a knife. "There are many Hassans just walking around Croydon. Young boys who are angry, young boys who are lost, young boys that want to be listened to. "But I do believe there are great people in our community, great organisations who are in place who can really help and support these young people." Outside court after the sentencing on Thursday, Pastor Mark Rossell, from New Life church in Croydon, issued a statement on behalf of the family. "Our daughter Elianne Andam was a vibrant, bright and loving innocent 15-year-old with her entire future ahead of her, until it was stolen in the most horrific way. "Brutally killed in broad daylight by a 17-year-old who showed no mercy." Mr Rossell said the justice system had "failed to reflect the sheer brutality" of Elianne's killing and that the Andam family were critical of Sentamu's minimum term, saying it had left them feeling "abandoned and unheard". He added: "We cannot accept such lenient sentences are appropriate for violent, calculated crimes like this. "The current legal framework does not deter young individuals from committing violent crimes, it does not provide sufficient accountability for those who commit the most heinous acts." Ben told BBC Radio London the work of Beyond Equality is "preventative", to have conversations with boys, and men of all ages, before these situations arise. Their aim is to try to address gender equality "through the lens of masculinity", with an approach that asks the questions, "what is masculinity, how does that feel, do we like it, would we change it if we could?" and to build a picture about stereotypes, norms and the expectations from there. Ben added: "It's an epidemic - it's not decreasing, we all need to find a role in this conversation." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to 'She was a miracle baby': Elianne had dreams of law career, aunt tells BBC Criminology student murdered woman on beach, court told Crossbow killer jailed for life for triple murders Girl begged killer to stop as he stabbed her


BBC News
14-03-2025
- BBC News
Elianne Andam: 'Sense of emotional illiteracy among men and boys'
"There's a real sense of emotional illiteracy among men and boys and there are difficult emotions, difficult things that happen in life, but nobody teaches us how to process them." Ben Hurst, from the charity Beyond Equality which works with young men on tackling issues around violence against women and girls, and the topic of masculinity, has been speaking to Riz Lateef on her BBC Radio London programme on conversation followed the news of the sentencing of Hassan Sentamu, who repeatedly stabbed 15-year-old Elianne Andam outside a shopping centre in Croydon, south London, in September was ordered to spend at least 23 years in prison for her believes there is a "real systemic issue" across the UK with how boys, and men, have been socialised to move through and experience the world. He said it is about addressing the "attitudes beneath the behaviour". The Old Bailey heard Sentamu had a history of aggression towards young people and her sentencing remarks, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said on Thursday, when he was aged 11, he harmed himself and, unprovoked, assaulted other children at school. She added: "While in foster care you used a knife to threaten a pupil who you thought was mocking you on a school trip. You threatened to stab another student with scissors. On another occasion you assaulted two female pupils at the school." The court also heard Sentamu had "not had the benefit of a settled and nurturing, childhood and family life". BBC iPlayer: The Big Cases - The Bus Stop Murder Ben told BBC Radio London: "My heart breaks for Elianne and the Andam family, that's a life that's been cut short, potential that's wasted that will never be seen. "There's also some kind of feeling there for Hassan, not in a sense of 'I wish that hadn't happened to him', because we want justice ultimately, but we know the statistics about prisons, which don't often lead to rehabilitation.""So the question remains, what happens to this young man who's done this thing and how do we move forward? Two wasted lives," he added. Ben believes there are real issues with how boys are able to process situations. He said: "They manifest in a range of different ways and lots of ways that are widely inappropriate - and you add that to the context of sexual harassment, sexual violence, gender-based violence, men's violence against women and girls, men's violence against men." The court heard the day before Sentamu killed Elianne, she and her group had teased him and thrown water over him in an attempt to get him to apologise to his were told that later that day the teenager had told a friend he felt there had been disrespect shown to him by Elianne and her court heard that Sentamu had called the friend and told him: "I can't let this slide."Elianne's cousin, Reverend Denzil Larbi, told BBC London: "We knew exactly what that meant," Rev Larbi told BBC London. "We knew it meant he's going to bring some sort of harm."I honestly believe if it wasn't Elianne it would have been someone else, and so yeah, he was looking to bring some sort of revenge that day." In his victim impact statement, Rev Larbi told Sentamu he had committed "the most monstrous and evil act that is imaginable".He told BBC London he questioned whether more could have been done to prevent Elianne's murder."What would have happened if maybe another male took him by the hand and maybe invested in him and mentored him?"Or if other organisations really took him by the reins and said: 'Yes, we recognise you're struggling here, we're here to listen'."I really wonder if maybe my cousin would still be here."Croydon Council said there are no plans for a serious case Larbi said Elianne's family hope to work with schools to talk to young people about the dangers of carrying a knife."There are many Hassans just walking around Croydon. Young boys who are angry, young boys who are lost, young boys that want to be listened to."But I do believe there are great people in our community, great organisations who are in place who can really help and support these young people." 'Violent, calculated crimes' Outside court after the sentencing on Thursday, Pastor Mark Rossell, from New Life church in Croydon, issued a statement on behalf of the family."Our daughter Elianne Andam was a vibrant, bright and loving innocent 15-year-old with her entire future ahead of her, until it was stolen in the most horrific way."Brutally killed in broad daylight by a 17-year-old who showed no mercy."Mr Rossell said the justice system had "failed to reflect the sheer brutality" of Elianne's killing and that the Andam family were critical of Sentamu's minimum term, saying it had left them feeling "abandoned and unheard".He added: "We cannot accept such lenient sentences are appropriate for violent, calculated crimes like this."The current legal framework does not deter young individuals from committing violent crimes, it does not provide sufficient accountability for those who commit the most heinous acts." Ben told BBC Radio London the work of Beyond Equality is "preventative", to have conversations with boys, and men of all ages, before these situations aim is to try to address gender equality "through the lens of masculinity", with an approach that asks the questions, "what is masculinity, how does that feel, do we like it, would we change it if we could?" and to build a picture about stereotypes, norms and the expectations from added: "It's an epidemic - it's not decreasing, we all need to find a role in this conversation."


The Independent
12-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Lords talking about themselves ‘to destruction' during hereditary peers debate
Members of the House of Lords are talking about themselves 'to destruction' amid a proposed law to oust hereditary peers, Parliament has heard. Labour peer Lord Grocott, who has long campaigned to end birthright membership of the upper chamber, criticised colleagues for the pace of debate on the legislation. He argued that the Bill is a narrow and specific one, with just five clauses, intending to end the right for hereditary peers to sit and vote in the Lords, not to carry out wider reform of the unelected chamber. The former MP said: 'Everyone knows that no organisation is happier than when it's talking about itself and we're demonstrating this, I think testing it to destruction, during the debate on this Bill so far. 'A simple five-clause Bill would not normally have an attendance like this.' His comments came as peers continued their line-by-line scrutiny of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, which is on its third day of committee stage. Lord Grocott continued: 'So far we've discussed, up to today, 10 groups of amendments. There are 32 groups left to discuss. We are averaging five groups a day. 'At this rate of progress, we shall be debating this for committee day after committee day after committee day, some of us no doubt enjoying ourselves. We all like talking about our own organisation and how we work. 'But in relation to other matters that this House should be considering on the floor of the House, to spend another six, seven or eight days or more that these stats suggest we will be doing on this Bill, repeating arguments that have been heard on numerous occasions and 90% of which we know are not directly related to the Bill and will at any event some of them come forward at a later time…' Lord Grocott, who has tabled numerous private member's bills over years attempting to remove the remaining hereditary peers, insisted: 'We really do need to do better today if we want to be seen as relevant.' Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Sentamu agreed, saying: 'I am not a prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I would like to have a healthy check. None of the amendments you put are going to end up in this Bill.' He added that the amendments 'have nothing to do with the Bill' and that peers are 'luxuriating' by discussing further reforms that are set to happen in the future. Lord Strathclyde, a Conservative hereditary peer, said: 'There is no attempt to try and filibuster this debate.' Peers debated for more than two and a half hours the idea of adding to the Bill an attendance or participation requirement for members of the Lords. Several argued that a participation requirement was listed in Labour's election manifesto, alongside the ousting of hereditary peers. However, the Government argued that there is no consensus on what this participation requirement should be and that the Bill is the first step in the process of wider Lords reform. During the prolonged debate, peers exchanged numerous ideas on how a participation requirement could work. It was suggested that peers could be required to attend a certain percentage of sitting days, with debate about whether this should be set at 1%, 10%, 15% or higher, and potentially with exceptions for those with a good reason or a leave of absence. However, some argued that this would eliminate 'low frequency, high impact' peers who are at the top of their fields and only contribute occasionally on the subject they are an expert in. It was also argued that it could result in peers coming in as 'lobby fodder' to vote and do little else. It was then suggested that peers should be required not just to attend, but to actively participate. This could take the form of speaking in the chamber or grand committee, serving on a select committee, asking oral questions, tabling written questions or taking part in official delegations overseas. It was argued that this would eke out those peers who 'clock in and disappear', but others claimed this would create a 'perverse incentive' to take part in proceedings only to meet the minimum requirement. Attorney General Lord Hermer said there is 'very considerable agreement' that peers should be obliged to participate, that metrics to measure participation should be decided on, and that failure to meet these without good reason would be 'incompatible' with membership of the Lords. But this is where the agreement ends, he said. The senior law officer said: 'As the amendments and the debate today has demonstrated, there is as yet no measure of agreement as to what the requisite participation levels should be, what the metrics will be. 'Participation in this house can take many different forms, but specifying which should be the metrics applied to requisite participation is a complicated and nuanced matter… 'We are not yet at a point where consensus has been reached and further work and further discussion is required.' Lord Hermer told peers that Lords leader Baroness Smith of Basildon has engaged in 'over 60' discussions with peers to develop the plan for how to move forward with further reforms after this Bill. He concluded: 'The Government is committed to moving forward, hopefully through consensus, to push to the next level of reform, at which participation will be key.'