British MP writes to foreign affairs secretary over Nambooze
A British Member of Parliament, Dr. Paul Williams has raised concerns over the condition of Mukono Municipality Betty Nambooze.
In a letter to the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Common Wealth Affairs, Boris Johnston, Williams, the MP for Stockton South, says the British government should make "all diplomatic representations possible in order to secure the safety of Betty Nambooze."
Nambooze was arrested early June following her deemed offensive post on social media in the wake of the gruesome murder of Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga.
Nambooze who was under arrest spent much time bedridden at Kiruddu Hospital under police watch. Nambooze was granted police bond on Wednesday to fly to India for medical treatment.
Williams says he lived in Uganda for four years prior to becoming a British MP and witnessed many of the difficulties that Museveni's critics go through.
"My criticism of Museveni has brought me to the attention of media in Uganda and as a result, I am contacted from time to time by those concerned about the situation in Uganda," Williams says in a letter dated 29th June.
"Betty was one of a number of Ugandan MPs who were assaulted when Ugandan special forces raided the Ugandan Parliament on 27th September 2017 during a fractious time when the removal of presidential age limit was being debated…Bones in her back were broken during the raid and she underwent a spinal surgery afterward. She has subsequently been arrested for a social media post," Williams further said.
Williams said he had been contacted American writer Hellen Epstein who gave him details of Nambooze's situation. "I have enclosed the details provided by Ms. Epstein," he says without divulging the kind of representation she wanted the British government to offer Nambooze.
Williams earned popularity in Uganda's opposition circles when he took a swipe at Museveni in April. In a brief address during the UK Parliament session, Williams asked the British government to use the opportunity of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) that was convening in London to tell Museveni to retire.
