Three arrested as they tried to petition Parliament over MP Nambooze’s continued ‘detention’

Three people have been arrested at Parliament in Kampala as they tried to petition Speaker Rebecca Kadaga against what they described as the continued detention of bedridden Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze.
Habib Buwembo, Juma Lubega Kabotongo and Yasin Galiwango were arrested on Monday morning and are currently held at Central Police Station Kampala.
In their petition, they claim Ms Nambooze’s right to speedy and fair hearing before a competent court of law has been infringed on. They also claim her right to human dignity and protection from inhuman treatment as well as her right to equal opportunities and enhancement of women have not been respected.

“The honorable Nambooze’s life is in danger and she is likely to suffer death because she has not been produced to any court of law and the state seems not bothered about the state of affairs of her life and at the same time she is suffering from all sorts of inhuman cruel and degrading treatment. We therefore, call upon the Speaker of Parliament to direct whichever office is concerned to set free Hounourable Betty Nambooze,” read part of their petition.

Their petition comes a day after Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) directed police to free Ms Nambooze.
A letter authored by UHRC boss, Mr Medi Kaggwa, to IGP, Martin Okoth Ochola, was triggered by a petition by Ms Nambooze’s lawyer, Erias Lukwago, for the rights body to intervene in the matter.
In his letter, Mr Kaggwa raises concerns that if anything happens to Ms Nambooze as a result of the delay in her medical treatment, it would raise legitimate questions as to how she was treated while in police custody.

“…the commission therefore requests for your urgent intervention to ensure that MP Nambooze’s rights are respected and that she is released so that she can ... travel to receive treatment,” the letter also copied to Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga reads in part.
Ms Nambooze’s ward is still heavily guarded by security personnel, something she says is uncalled for.

Nambooze was admitted to Kiruddu Hospital from Naggalama police station in Mukono, where she had been detained in connection to alleged offensive communication following her social media post after the gruesome murder of Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga and his brother Saidi Buga.
Up to now, Police have reportedly turned down requests from Nambooze seeking to be transferred to India for medical treatment.