Torture, denial of justice and why I become emotional sometimes

First, I must admit that I become emotional and occasionally cry when I discover that a fellow human being, or indeed a living creature, is unnecessarily deprived of life, tortured or denied justice.
As chairperson of legal and drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly that debated, made and promulgated the 1995 Constitution, I get upset when politicians, motivated by political reasons, misconceive or misinterpret the same Constitution.
Commenting on my book The Blessings and Joy of Being Who You Are, Prof Joe Oloka-Onyango of the Makerere University School of Law observed:
“Few individuals in contemporary Uganda are better known or appreciated than George Kanyeihamba. He is well known in Africa and beyond, in places, institutions and fora where he has distinguished himself as scholar, speaker, resource person and consultant.
“His passion for human rights and the protection of vulnerable individuals is well known. When he cries because people have been persecuted or rescued from torture, you cry with him. When he demands accountability and transparent governance, you have to join him in the struggle, but this is also a deeply personnel account of Kanyeihamba the man, his influences and passions he loves and of those things he simply hates. Indeed when you are done with his story, you will ask for the next book.”
I cried when I watched on TV former US president John Kennedy being assassinated just as I cried when Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment and also when he was released from Robin Island.
I cried when Idi Amin was overthrown because of joy and when Yusuf Lule and Yoweri Museveni become president. I was emotional and deeply moved when Bishop George Katwesigye graduated and when he became the bishop of Kigezi, just as I was moved spiritually when Cardinal Wamala invited me, a Protestant, to address the devout Catholics at Ggaba Seminary.
I am always moved to tears watching epic films such as The Man of all Seasons, Lord Becket, John Ark, El Cid, Cleopatra, Roots and Jesus of Nazareth.
I got very emotional when Makerere University students were killed by unruly police; Kichwamba college students burnt alive, Uganda citizens locked up in a train wagon in Soroti and burnt to death. I cried when MP Gerald Karuhanga’s petition in the Court of Appeal was unconstitutionally rejected just as I was emotional when I saw former IGP Gen Kale Kayihura dragged into a military tribunal.
I was very upset to see Opposition leaders Kizza Besigye, Robert Kyagulanyi and other politicians being mishandled, tortured and wounded just as I was happy when they were released.
Recently, I was disturbed when a friend, and fellow believer in the sanctity of life, and in exchanging views about governance and we disagreed on the law on prohibition of torture and the inhuman treatment of victims, suddenly ceased to respond to my calls.
Consequently, the story that handcuffed Ronald Ssebulime, the man shot dead by police for allegedly trailing ICT State minister Idah Nantaba, was a shocking one.