The call for justice and human rights in Uganda echoes fervently as the opposition lawmakers vehemently advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners.
This impassioned plea which was presented on the floor of Parliament by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga is also coupled with a resolute demand for a comprehensive commission of inquiry into the flagrant violations against human rights.
In response to last week’s Human Rights report presented by State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, Mpuuga highlighted that the government displayed a clear lack of willingness or interest in investigating the plight of missing Ugandans.
Moreover, he pointed out the institutional shortcomings, stating that bodies tasked with addressing human rights violations have consistently failed to thoroughly and effectively address the pressing concerns at hand.
“The government’s statement mirrors previous ones, disconnected from reality and steeped in insensitivity, even mocking the grieving families of the missing victims. We utterly reject it. Now, with solemnity and a profound sense of duty toward a crucial issue—the safeguarding of human rights within our nation—we call for justice. Our collective dedication to justice, equality, and the inherent dignity of every person drives us to address the troubling accounts of human rights abuses that have surfaced,” he asserted.
He however implored the entire House to rise to the occasion reminding them that the 11th Parliament will go down the annals of history as having risen to the occasion when the Government turned against her people. “Let us go on record as a people who knew what was right and acted in the best interest of the citizenry.”
To address these issues, he outlined four demands that he urged Parliament, alongside ruling legislators, to unite in pursuing. One of these demands is the urgent and unconditional release of all political prisoners languishing in various jails and illegal detention centres without undergoing fair trials.
According to the statement he presented before the House, Mpuuga revealed that the Non-trial of political prisoners and abducted Ugandans is a clear indication of a lack of evidence on the side of the Government and a red flag that these persecutions are intended to shrink the civic space further and criminalize association with the Opposition in Uganda
“These are prisoners of conscience, and should not be used as a bargaining tool for the ruling party to suffocate civic space, and desire to settle outstanding political questions through these illegal detentions. The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs should explain to the nation under which law The government is charging the citizens with the offence of subversive activities!” he said.
He also asked the House to establish a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate these glaring human rights violations. He proposed that the said Commission of Inquiry be chaired by a Judge of the High Court. The opposition believes that the Commission will be endowed with the authority, independence, and resources necessary to uncover the truth, to hold those responsible accountable, and to ensure that justice prevails.
“Our prayer is premised on Section 1 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, which empowers the Minister to issue a commission appointing one or more commissioners and authorizing those commissioners, to inquire into the conduct of any officer in the public service of Uganda, the conduct of any chief, the conduct or management of any department of the public service or of any public or local institution, or into any matter in which an inquiry would be for the public welfare,” he stressed.
Mpuuga also asked the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among to use Rule 190 of the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure to appoint a Select Committee to investigate a particular matter.
“We propose that the said Select Committee investigate the rampant cases of rape, defilement, destruction of property, murders, unjustified arrests, and illegal closure of many landing sites in the fishing communities across the Country, and, ultimately, remedy for the victims and/or their families,” said Mpuuga.
He underscored the crucial need to transfer individuals currently undergoing trials before military courts, specifically those not under military law, to the jurisdiction of civil courts. This directive is following the Constitutional Court’s decision in Constitutional Petition No. 44 of 2015: Rtd Captain Amon Byarugaba and Others v Attorney General, delivered on December 15, 2022. Importantly, this ruling remains unchallenged, neither appealed nor stayed.
As the fervent voices of the opposition ring out, calling for justice and fundamental rights, their plea for the immediate release of political prisoners and an in-depth investigation into human rights violations remains unwavering.
The culmination of these demands echoes a resolute commitment to upholding the core principles of justice, freedom, and dignity for every individual. In this collective pursuit of accountability and fairness, the call for action resonates, urging a unified stance to rectify the injustices that have cast a shadow over the fabric of society.
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