This week police denied political activist and former Forum for Democratic Change Party President Dr. Kizza Besigye to attend a public debate against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
This public event staged by the African Initiative on Food security and Environment (AIFE-Uganda), a body whose main interest is to “Organize communities to be proactive against climate change and conserve the environment through biodiversity conservation, climate smart agricultural, research, community mobilization, teaching and evaluation of practices,” as stated on their website.
AIFE- Uganda was to receive Dr. Kizza Besigye and other Politicians at the Emerald Hotel, Kampala on matters concerning Environment, Human rights & the economics but only to find a police and military surrounding the place.
“No one was allowed into the hotel without written authorization from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Martins Okoth-Ochola,” the police notice read.
“There is no law where the police derives power to stop citizens having meetings in a hotel, they (Police) are clearly violating the law and knowing that they are doing acts of impunity. General Muhoozi, a serving officer is going around the country, having public political rallies in towns and streets guarded by the same people (Police) who cannot allow a few citizens hold a meeting in a hotel,” Dr. Kizza Besigye said while protesting the actions of Polices.
According to the Executive Director African Initiative on Food security and Environment (AIFE) Mr. Brian Atuhaire he said, “The only people that were invited are Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi and Dr. Kizza Besigye but even the participants were blocked as early as 8:30 in the morning, even us nobody was allowed to go for the meeting and because of that it was called off.”
This is not the first time that the freedoms of the people of Uganda are violated especially political icons of the country, this has been a recurring process of enslaved rights, comparable to that of the old days and most probably threating to worsen. Below are some of the essential human rights and freedoms fractured.
According to Article 21 Equality and freedom from discrimination
“(1) All persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and shall enjoy equal protection of the law.
Article 29 Protection of freedom of co-science, expression, movement, religion, assembly and association.
(1) Every person shall have the right to-
- d) Freedom to assemble and to demonstrate together with others peacefully and unarmed and to petition; and
(2) Every Ugandan shall have the right-
(a) To move freely throughout Uganda and to reside and settle in any part of Uganda
Article 221 General
It shall be the duty of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces and any other armed force established in Uganda, the Uganda Police Force and any other police force, the Uganda Prisons Service, all intelligence services and the National Security Council to observe and respect human rights and freedoms in the performance of their functions.” All these laws as stated by the Constitution of Uganda have been violated drastically.
According to Dr. kizza Byesigye in a disappointed yet pathetic tone added that there should be a great wakeup call for our country about the state of capture of the country that it is owned by Mr. Museveni and his family, who should be sanctioned sooner or later because this will not last, and those who abuse the laws are on record and will pay for their abuses.
