MPs begin process to censure Gen Tumwine over safe houses

Parliament last evening adopted a motion seeking to censure the Security minister, Gen Elly Tumwine.

Gen Tumwine is accused of blocking the work of Parliament when Members of Parliament were probing illegal detention centres in the country.
The MPs amended the Human Rights Committee recommendation that had sought to ‘punish’ the minister without providing details.

The motion was moved by shadow internal affairs minister Mohammad Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala County, DP) under Rule 56 of parliamentary rules of procedure, after debate on the torture of Ugandans in safe houses.

Last year, the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, instituted an investigation into the alleged torture by Internal Security Organisation (ISO) after Mr Latif Ssebaggala (DP, Kawempe North), and Kassiano Wadri, (Ind, Arua Municipality), alleged that ISO was running safe houses to torture people in Kalangala District and Kyengera in Wakiso.

Gen Tumwine later admitted that government was running safe houses for intelligence purposes but not torturing civilians.

But the MPs say individuals are using security agencies to settle personal differences and torturing people.
The committee noted from some of the testimonies that individuals use security agencies to resolve their personal conflicts and recommends that security agencies should avoid being used by the public to settle personal vendetta.

The MPs argued that the alleged victims should be encouraged to seek damages for unlawful detention and torture.

Gen Tumwine yesterday said the media was picking out only negative stories. Some detainees, according to Ms Janepher Nantume Egunyu, (Buvuma Islands, NRM), were released after Parliament started its investigations.

“The committee notes with satisfaction that as a result of the directive by Parliament to investigate the existence of safe houses, some detainees were reportedly released after the commencement of the investigation,” Ms Egunyu said.

Observing human rights
The committee also recommended that all security agencies be tasked to observe human rights in the course of their work as provided by the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.

“All security agencies should undertake continuous training and sensitisation about all laws governing human rights,” the report reads.
After the presentation of the report, some legislators said Gen Tumwine be held personally liable for his actions. “We should recommend that the minister of security be censured for contempt of Parliament,” Mr Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, MP for Kasambya, said.

Mr Eric Musana (NRM, Buyaga East) said: “As a country we should not be talking about safe houses. The existence of illegal detention centres is unconstitutional and degrades the quality of leadership in this country.”

Mr Barnabas Tinkasimire (NRM, Buyaga West) said those who have been tortured should be compensated.
“We have institutions that are constitutionally mandated to investigate and prosecute crime; we cannot sit here and support the torture of victims,” he said.

The MPs say the victims are detained beyond 48 hours by ISO before they are handed over to police.

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